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asgardian--angels · 7 months

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Izzy Discourse Masterpost

Hey all, given the amount of awful splintering and wank happening in ofmd fandom rn regarding Izzy's death, including the flat-out immature and unacceptable harassment of David Jenkins and Co, I wanted to just make this one all-encompassing post to address the various grievances and complaints I've seen (almost entirely on Twitter). If I've missed anything, please feel free to add on. I'm putting most of this under a read-more for length.

Please be aware, I say all of this as an Izzy fan. I've loved his character since season 1, and while I was sad to see him go, I completely understand and support David & Co's reasons for concluding his arc, and I think it was done respectfully in a way fitting to his character. So let's break down some of the takes I've seen. I am not referencing specific posts or people here, I just want to address the general themes that I keep seeing about why some people are upset.

Izzy's death served no narrative purpose.

Look, this is one that I'm sure fans will debate for the rest of the hiatus. It's completely within your right to disagree with this writing choice, but Izzy's death did serve a narrative purpose in the story that David Jenkins is telling - and he has spoken to this end in several interviews already. I can only summarize here, and fans may find other perspectives in time as well. What we need to remember is that Our Flag Means Death is, at the end of the day, Ed and Stede's love story. That has been made abundantly, explicitly clear. The show has been fantastic at fleshing out the other supporting characters, but that's what they are - supporting characters. They often have their own subplots but ultimately the narrative seeks to move Ed and Stede's story forward and they are tools to spur Ed and Stede's growth or mirror their struggles. Izzy has been a wonderfully complex, multifaceted character but we must remember that all characters are vessels through which stories are told, lessons are imparted, and metaphors are established. He's not a real person who 'deserves' any particular fate. David said he's always intended for Izzy to die at the end of his arc.

Firstly, Izzy (now canonically, through his own dying words) represents part of Blackbeard. He enabled and encouraged Ed's darker side, they were mutually toxic forces to each other. Ed is attempting to cope with and move on from this phase of his life, and like Stede in season 1, set out a free man, unshackled by expectations and loose ends of those he's hurt and been hurt by (though we realize this is an ongoing process that takes time). This lovely gifset sums it up nicely, with Izzy being the Mary parallel, and making s2 mirror s1. Blackbeard is both Ed and Izzy; Ed cannot be free of Blackbeard while Izzy is in his life, and when Izzy is gone he will never truly be Blackbeard again. They are each other's rotting leg!! Yet, they love each other - and David has said that for Ed, this has developed into a mentor and father relationship, and where Ed has previously despised his father figures (his actual father, Hornigold) he does not want to lose Izzy. This time, Izzy brings out Ed, not Blackbeard - and that's where we get the callback to 'there he is', bringing their impact on each other full circle, freeing Ed, getting approval of sorts that he never had, to be soft, to be loved (and there are parallels to Zheng and Auntie here as well that others have made) from that force that drove him to stay in line all this time. David has said in multiple interviews now that he was going for the idea of the mentor/father figure dying and the hero living on and trying to do justice to them.

From Izzy's side, Izzy cannot be free while Edward remains either (Mary cannot find peace while Stede remains). The scar never truly healed, the leg will always be a reminder. At this point the argument becomes 'yes, but why did he have to die? Why not just sail off with the crew of the Revenge?' David has stated that he feels they've done everything they can with, and for, Izzy; he's come leagues from season 1, he's found community, he's found hope, he's found new parts of himself, and he's made good memories. He's found worth outside of what he can be to others. That's more than most pirates could hope for. Where would his character go from there, when the Golden Age of Piracy he belongs to has burned to the ground? Would he stay around and whittle on the Revenge? If he were a real person, yes, that would be lovely, and he'd deserve all the quiet peaceful happiness in the world. But as I explain several points below, he's not interested in being a captain. He's not up for the hard physical labor of regular crew, and he's extremely overqualified for that besides. He has served his narrative purpose, and symbolically, to enter a new age, everything must go. He's connected to the old age of piracy, to the Republic of Pirates, that is now demolished. To him, fighting for what he believes in, for the family he's found, bringing down an army of British twats in the process, is how he should go. It's a pirate's death, and as Izzy's said, he's a pirate - unlike Blackbeard who's succeeding in breaking away from piracy, Izzy never wanted to stop being a pirate, throughout his arc. To me, that's why Izzy remains trapped in the narrative, trapped in history, whereas Ed and Stede will escape history. They leave piracy, and canon, behind, while Izzy was content to remain a pirate and face a pirate's fate.

Burying him on land, right next to Ed and Stede's beach house, shows that his sacrifice was not in vain - they start this new life together, thanks to Izzy's mentorship, his role in their lives that sometimes for worse, sometimes for better, made their love what it was and made their breakaway possible. The new age is built on the foundations of the old age, and is stronger for it.

As we're well aware by now, David tweeted that there's no version of ofmd without Izzy. Whether that's literal or not, symbolically it's true. Izzy's arc of growth affected everyone on the Revenge. Jim fondly remembered fighting for a time when life meant something on that ship; the crew helped give Izzy new meaning in life, and he helped them in return. When he dies, they mourn and have a funeral; that wouldn't have happened under Blackbeard's watch in episode 2. His life meant something to them. He influenced Ed and Stede immensely, and they will take that with them. As David's said, they're all a family, and Izzy was a part of that family, and his loss unites them and brings them closer to continue to fight for that family they've built. It's a tragic, sudden death of someone they've all grown to care for, and that steels their reserve to keep the torch lit. They literally sail off into the sunset to hunt down Ricky to avenge Izzy; he will always be a part of this show. And, of course, with the brief appearance of seagull Buttons, the door is left open for anything.

If this was The Izzy Show, then sure, we'd be content to see him simply engaged in shenanigans every episode. But the plot, and therefore the characters, need to keep moving forward, and Izzy got his growth and development. He got what he needed for his character to have closure, and he served his symbolic narrative purpose in Ed's (and Stede's) story. You may have your own ideas and perspectives, and that's great - that's what fandom is for. But we cannot say his death was pointless when David Jenkins and the writers clearly had a well-defined motive for pushing the narrative in this direction. I actually think the narrative around Ed and Izzy is the most well-developed in the entire show. I for one am so happy we got such an interesting and complex character, and had the brilliant Con O'Neill to portray him.

Izzy's growth & healing arc was rendered pointless by his death.

As this post so eloquently puts it, it's pretty bleak to have the outlook that taking steps to heal and find meaning in life is worthless if it's later lost. Seeking happiness and self-actualization is worthwhile for its own sake; no one knows what's down the road, and we all die eventually. Find meaning in life now. Would you rather have had Izzy not miss with his bullet in ep2? He was given the chance to experience joy, freedom, and hope for the first time in potentially a long time, and when he died he did so with those happy memories. As mentioned, Izzy's death was decided long beforehand given the narrative, and the point of storytelling is to make you feel emotions. We were given impetus to connect and relate to Izzy's character through his process of healing, so when he did die, we felt it keenly. That's how stories work actually! We felt what Ed felt. It moved us. It's not a bad thing that Izzy's arc made him more likeable to fans before his death. It's not a bad thing to lose a beloved character - guess what, it happens constantly in stories - and it's not bad to grieve over it either, but to say that it made his journey pointless is just not true. People saying that Con must be upset that they snatched his character away from him after getting to develop him so much - again I say, would you rather him have died in ep 2 before he had the chance to grow? Or how about in s1, when the crew tried to mutiny? How'd you feel when Stede killed him in his dream, in the very first scene of the season? I think Con's probably glad for the opportunity to have explored this character so much in season 2. Ask him if he thinks it was pointless.

Killing off Izzy was bad for queer rep/burying your gays/"Izzy was the queer heart of the show"

I'm putting 'bury your gays' on the top shelf so people can't use it when it doesn't actually apply. Most of the main cast of characters in this show are queer, and it's a show about pirates with a good amount of violence. Ergo, chances are a queer character will die in the course of Things Happening In Stories. Izzy didn't die because he was queer, and he wasn't the token queer rep. Please turn your attention to the boatloads (literally) of queer characters that are happy and thriving (how about the LuPete wedding immediately afterwards??). As for Izzy being the "queer heart of the show," this is literally the Ed and Stede show. You know, the two queer leads whose queer love the show revolves around, per David Jenkins himself. I'm glad folks connected with and derived joy from Izzy's growth and especially his performance in Calypso's birthday, but he is not the main character of the show. The queer heart of the show is in fact, the entire show, all of their characters and the community & found family they create aboard the Revenge. Not to mention the fan community as well. Izzy was never carrying the show's representation on his back, and frankly that's an absurdly wild take to have (esp when he spent most of s1 actively working against the main queer relationships in the show, attempting to maintain the oppressive status quo of pirate society).

It was bad and irresponsible to have a suicidal character die

Are we forgetting the entire first half of the season where Ed, who was suicidal, kept trying to passively kill himself because he felt he was an unlovable monster, only to be shown that he is in fact loved unconditionally and it gives him the strength to fight for life and triumph against his own self-doubt? The show has spent quite a lot of effort telling viewers that despite feeling damaged or broken you are worthy of love and that you are loved even if it may be hard to see it when you're in a bad place. That you don't need to be fully healed to deserve love and care, and that love and support will help you along your journey. It's incredibly wild to disregard this major plot point and fundamental message of s2 to try and spin this the opposite way for Izzy's character.

Secondly, where are people getting 'Izzy is suicidal' from? Are we going back all the way to episode 2, when he's at his lowest point and fails at his suicide attempt, only to be figuratively reborn after removing the metaphorical rotten leg? By the time of the finale he's shown to be in a good place, thanks to the arc of healing and growth he's gotten, through the support of the Revenge crew and his 'breakup' with Blackbeard allowing him to find his own way in life, realizing he doesn't need a purpose to have value and enjoying his time on the Revenge and the bonds he's made with Stede and the crew. He is, in the words of Ivan, "the most open and available I've ever seen him" by the finale. To take episode 2 as evidence he's suicidal is to erase his whole season of growth, which is an ironic thing to do in the context of these arguments. There's no canon evidence Izzy Hands was suicidal post-'Fun and Games'.

As for 'irresponsible,' once again I say, David Jenkins is not your therapist, he's not 'Dad,' and has no responsibility to tell his story any other way than he intended to tell it. Please find media that gives you what you want or need, and if the death of a fictional character causes you this much distress please seek help. I mean this kindly but seriously.

Killing off Izzy was ableist/bad for disability rep.

I point once again to the rest of the characters, several of which are disabled in varied ways. There are literally multiple other amputee characters specifically. It's not good storytelling to wholly avoid killing off any character that is disabled/queer/poc/female or [insert marginalized group here], especially when a) it makes sense narratively, and b) there's plenty of representation of these groups in the media in question. The answer isn't making such characters invincible and immortal, it's increasing the number of these characters in shows so it's not devastating when some do die in the course of natural storytelling.

OFMD was my comfort show/safe space show, now it's ruined for me

I am not trying to be insensitive here when I say that's a problem that is yours and nobody else's. David Jenkins created this show with a three-season vision and a story in mind, and he is telling that story to the best of his ability the way he wants to. It's already been said that he and the crew did not anticipate the fandom becoming as large and passionate as it has. The plot of the show was never intended to be 'fan service,' and it's ironic that there were people complaining this season that there's been too many fanservice tropes, up until David and the rest of the writers room made a narrative decision they did not like, then the complaints changed to not coddling the fans enough.

We as viewers can derive joy from this show, it can be a comfort to us, it can be important to us. But it was not designed specifically for that purpose, therefore it cannot fail in that respect. We do not have the right to harass writers for not steering the ship in the direction we want - it's their work of art, and we can choose to either come along for the ride or not. It's rare to see creators actually given the chance to tell their story the way they intend (budget cuts aside), so let him do that. He should not cater to fans, or cave and change the story to appease us. Respect his right to create his art, and remember you have the right to create your own. That's what fanfiction is for - write fix-its to your heart's content, but keep these realms separate. David Jenkins and Co hold zero, and I mean zero, responsibility to you. He could not please everyone no matter what he did, it would be fruitless to try, and it would certainly compromise the quality of the story he set out to tell.

You are absolutely allowed to dislike choices made in any show. Curate your media experience. If this show no longer brings you joy, stop watching. But it was never David's purpose nor responsibility to juggle the mental health of millions of fans. Trying to put that on him will only make him less enthusiastic about interacting with fans or continuing to make this show. This isn't rocket science. You're responsible for yourself, not this guy you call 'Dad' that you've developed a parasocial-therapist relationship with.

Izzy should have become captain of the Revenge.

Really?? Firstly, we did actually get that already in s1. He was tyrannical and the crew mutinied. But even if you think 'well after his character arc he'd be better suited to it,' it goes against the point of this arc. He's found value in not having a distinct role or purpose on the ship, decoupling his worth from the job he's expected to perform. He's found his place amongst the crew, not commanding it. There's no narrative reason to put him in charge when he's expressed no further interest in slotting himself back into a role full of pressure and expectations.

Con O'Neill was only told halfway through filming, it's cruel to just kill off the character he loves so much.

Guys, he's an actor. More than that, an actor with a theater background. I think he's used to characters dying. You don't need to look out for him. Con and David spoke one on one about it at length so they were on the same page, and David even said that Con took it well. I'm sure Con had input, just as other members of the cast have influenced their characters' stories, costumes, backstories, etc. Do you really think David Jenkins hurt Con's feelings or something? The writers (remember, it's not just David, it's a whole team of hard-working people coming up with these ideas) gave Con such a chance to shine this season, really developing Izzy beyond what he was given in s1 and letting Con show off his full acting range. Why are you only focusing on the destination rather than the journey? Sure, Con's probably sad to see Izzy go, but please do not project your distress onto him or try and accuse David & Co of being 'cruel' to their cast. That's really ridiculous. It's constantly evident how close they all are.

More importantly, do you actually, seriously think that Con O'Neill would want fans to harass each other or the writers over his character? The man who preaches being kind above all? There is no better way to make an actor uncomfortable about a show and its fanbase than to start treating fictional characters like they're more important than real people. He would not want you to bully people over Izzy Hands, and it's mind-boggling that some of you have convinced yourself otherwise.

Lastly, I just want to talk about the fact that some people are holding OFMD to absurdly high expectations.

Our Flag Means Death has been a pioneer series for its diverse representation, earnest storytelling, and themes of hope, community, and love. It's fine to discuss aspects of the show with a critical eye, but so much of the discourse has truly felt like folks are trying to find fault in a show that is leagues ahead of the average tv series that we still enjoy. How many fan favorites are killed off all the time? How many plotlines are scrapped, or drawn out without closure, or contradicted the very next season? How many shows are indifferent or actively hostile towards their fanbase? How many have any queer characters, or actually do bury them? The bar's so low, and OFMD has risen above to give us so much. Some are holding the show to astronomical expectations, waiting for it to fall from the pedestal it's been placed on. If something you don't like happens in the show, it's not suddenly ruined or demoted to being ~just as bad as those other shows~. Give them some breathing room, have some perspective on how progressive the show is, and that perfection is impossible, especially meeting every single viewer's idea of it. This is basically a repeat of the recent Good Omens drama, with an absurd number of people harassing Neil Gaiman for breaking up Aziraphale and Crowley and leaving the second of three acts on a very predictable cliffhanger. Let stories be told, let them unfold as they may, and you are free to leave anytime. It's so wonderful that more queer love stories are becoming popular and even mainstream, but let's not shoot ourselves in the foot by tearing them down when they don't go exactly the way you want it, which often seems to mean no drama, no character deaths, and therefore no conflict or even plot!

Just, please be civil human beings, and while this seems to be a difficult thing for so many fandoms to do, just keep your fan opinions in the fan space. Never bring your grievances to the writers, never bully them and persecute them for telling a story that you opted into viewing. That's something that goes entirely against everything this show, and this cast and crew, have imparted onto us - the importance of kindness, support, community, and love. I'll say it again because it bears repeating: the fate of a fictional character is never more important than how you treat real people. Just be kind in real life, which includes the internet. Thanks.

Now please, let's work together to ensure we get a season 3. There's so much more story to be told, and if you want to see Izzy back, whether that's as flashbacks, as a ghost haunting the inn, or in the gravy basket, we'll need more episodes! #RenewAsACrew

#our flag means death #ofmd #ofmd s2 #ofmd s2 spoilers #and after this i will speak of it no more ok #now once we're all calmed down i am really looking forward to meta about izzy's role in the narrative #i truly think izzy's one of the most well written characters on not just this show but on tv lately in general #suicide mention tw #I tried to put a read more under the first bullet point but tumblr's formatting basically deleted it #by automatically overriding it with an Expand #so sorry about the length and such

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sky-fire-forever · 6 months

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when did izzy protect the crew from the kraken?

If we're talking specifically the Kraken crew and not expanding it to the rest of either Ed's original crew or Stede's crew there is

1) The first scene in which we see Izzy with the Kraken, in which he says "the crew is looking a bit worse for wear", clearly a plea for Ed to stop working them so hard

2) Him telling Ed that the crew is refusing to throw the treasure overboard, thus mediating between the crew's desires and the Kraken's demands despite the fact that Ed immediately tries to cut off another one of his toes afterwords

3) He snaps at Ed to stop pointing the gun at people and fucking around when Ed displays unhinged behavior that could point to him turning violent, deflecting Ed's attention to him by bringing up Stede and almost dying as a result

4) (I'll admit this one is more up to interpretation) Him begging Jim and Archie to kill him after Ed told Frenchie to do exactly that, knowing they were putting themselves at risk protecting him

5) Him crawling above deck while missing a fucking leg to shoot Ed and save Ed from killing all of them

These are literally all off the top of my head. I was gonna actually go in and include time stamps for all of these and any more that I could catch, but I honestly can't be bothered. If this question was meant genuinely, I apologize for being dismissive, but it is kind of exhausting to have people dismiss the very real textual evidence in the show that Izzy is a nuanced character capable of doing good

Izzy is a fucked up guy, yeah. But he TRIES. He tries really hard. None of this mentions season one episode four, when he's the only person doing anything to save everyone from the Spanish because Ed wouldn't communicate with him or how Izzy protects Ivan and Fang from the British along with Ed.

He makes mistakes. Of course he does. He can be selfish and cruel and a jackass. That doesn't mean he's completely incapable of goodness. Of kindness. Of care. He's a person. A well-written character

It's just... genuinely upsetting how people will look at this man driven to suicide and basically declare to the world that him failing that attempt and struggling to LIVE to help other people isn't worth it. That it doesn't count or that it came too late. Izzy as a character means a lot to me and the fact that he picks himself up to help other people means a lot to me. It feels so, so important to his character and I genuinely struggle to see how people miss how much he cares for his crew

#izzy hands #our flags means death #ofmd #the izcourse #edward teach #ofmd meta

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collinrobinsonsglasses · 6 months

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Too Soft to Be a Pirate

Izzy Hands X Reader (GN)

Chapter 12 of a series, but I think you could read a lot of these separately and understand what's happening.

Summary: You run into your ex and Izzy has feelings about it. <3 It's the moment you've been waiting for. The rest of this story hasn't been super smutty, so I didn't want to make this chapter over the top. It's definitely a little spicer though with a ton of fluff. This is not based off a specific episode of ofmd.

Warnings: The reader has an anxiety attack just in case that's triggering for people to read about.

Chapter 12: Ex Marks the Spot

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter}

{Next Chapter}

Your peaceful slumber in your hammock was interrupted by the subtle pressure of Izzy’s hand squeezing your knee, rousing you from the depths of sleep. An initial wave of annoyance washed over you at being woken so early.

“Five minutes, on the deck,” Izzy’s hushed voice reached your ears, carrying an air of authority.

“Why?” you groaned, your hand instinctively moving to rub the sleep from your eyes, while you attempted to avoid the man standing in front of you, by further cocooning yourself into your hammock.

“That’s an order. Stop fucking complaining,” Izzy responded with a gentle yet firm tone. Although you couldn’t see his face anymore, a vivid mental image of the eye roll he was likely indulging in manifested itself in your head. You knew that questioning his request any further was useless.

Emerging onto the deck, your arrival coincided with the rays of the rising sun, casting a warm glow over the ship. There, in the heart of the deck, Izzy waited holding two gleaming swords. With a fluid motion, he tossed one towards you, the metallic gleam reflecting the soft morning light.

As the sword landed in your grasp, a subtle disappointment gnawed at you. The realization dawned that this was the cause of your early awakening, and you couldn’t help but glance down at the weapon in your hands, disappointed that this was the reason for the lost moments of sleep. When you met Izzy’s eyes again, you give him a pleading look, a pair of puppy dog eyes silently questioning the rationale behind this unexpected training session.

“Don’t give me that fucking look,” Izzy retorted, his tone sounding exasperated, yet the swift response betrayed a vulnerability he tried to hide. Your pleading look had a way of working on him, and he struggled to conceal the impact.

“When was the last time you trained with a sword?” he inquired, regaining his composure.

“I don’t remember,” you admitted in a hushed tone, fully aware that the answer was sometime before your wrist was fractured. Since then, the blade had been a neglected companion, untouched during the months of recovery.

“Months,” Izzy scolded, his tone firm. “Stede’s got plans for a raid today, but you won’t be part of it unless you can convince me you still remember how to use a sword.”

“I do know how to use a sword,” you grumbled quietly, your nose scrunching in annoyance.

“Then prove it,” Izzy responded, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

“Why am I the only one up here? Where’s the rest of the crew?” you protested with a whine. “Why just me?”

Izzy shot you a look, a silent declaration that the debate was over. It was clear - this morning’s training was reserved just for you. In that moment, you couldn’t help but acknowledge the power of Izzy’s gaze; it held sway over you that mirrored the influence your own puppy dog eyes had on him.

The clash of steel echoed across the ship’s deck as you engaged in a spirited sword fight with Izzy. Despite the lack of recent practice, muscle memory kicked in, and your movements became a dance of controlled aggression. However, it didn’t escape your notice that Izzy was holding back. His strikes were deliberate but measured. He was gauging your abilities without fully unleashing his own. Beads of sweat formed on your forehead. The lesson persisted until Izzy, seemingly satisfied with his assessment, allowed you a moment of rest.

“You can fight today,” Izzy relented, his tone carrying a hint of concession, “but Fang will still be keeping an eye on you.” You shot him an annoyed glance, silently protesting the need for an extra set of eyes monitoring your every move.

“Oh, come on,” Izzy teased, a playful grin playing on his lips as he reached to gently lift your chin. “Let me make you a coffee. Stop being a twat.”

Despite your initial grumpiness, his teasing paired with his warm touch earned a genuine smile from you. You couldn’t help but appreciate Izzy’s concern and the lengths he went to ensure your safety. You followed him below deck towards the promise of coffee.

The next hour unfolded in the cozy embrace of the ship's galley, where you found yourself seated, leisurely sipping on a cup of coffee while engaged in easy banter with Izzy. The morning sunlight filtered through the small portholes, casting a gentle glow on the wooden interior, creating an intimate setting for the shared moments. Reluctantly, you admitted to yourself that the sacrifice of an early awakening was a small price to pay for these stolen moments with Izzy.

Both of you ascended back to the deck, and you immediately noticed Fang using a spyglass to scan the vast expanse of the open sea. As Izzy took charge, issuing orders to the crew, you gravitated toward Fang, greeting him with a nod.

“Morning,” Fang sang in his characteristic cheerful tone. “We’re closing in on a ship for the raid. Want to see?” he offered, extending the spyglass toward you.

With curiosity you took the slender glass, aligning it with the direction Fang had been facing. As the distant ship came into focus, an unexpected wave of unease swept over you. You knew that ship. A sudden drop in your stomach felt almost like a free fall, and for a brief moment, the edges of your vision seemed to be tinged with black. Concerned that you might faint, you hastily passed the spyglass back to Fang, gripping the side of the ship for support.

Fang, noticing the sudden shift, inquired softly, “Hey, what’s the matter?” His expression transformed from casual cheerfulness to genuine concern as he placed a reassuring hand on your back, ready to offer support.

A sharp intake of breath accompanied your swift revelation. “That’s my old ship,” you stated quickly, the words leaving your lips like a hurried confession. The realization hit you with a force you hadn’t anticipated. You bent down, letting your head rest against the edge of the wooden ship.

“I think I need to find somewhere to sit, Fang,” you uttered, your voice barely above a breath. Breathing deeply in an attempt to steady yourself, the taste of your morning coffee felt bitter on your tongue, and the ship beneath your feet felt like unsteady ground. The prospect of confronting the man who had tossed you into the ocean had triggered a visceral reaction.

“Oh, shit,” Fang murmured, as he comprehended the weight of your words. Without hesitation, he practically scooped you up in his arms. Fang, knew the ghosts of your past, understood the magnitude of the situation almost instantly.

“The captains will know what to do,” Fang reassured himself, his tone a mix of determination and worry. Swiftly, he whisked you away towards Stede’s cabin, his arms cradling you securely. Bursting into the cabin, Fang wasted no time sitting you down onto the couch that adorned Stede’s quarters.

“What’s all this then?” Stede huffed, rising from the breakfast table where he and Ed were seated, a look of curiosity etched across his features.

Fang stepped forward, taking on the responsibility of explaining the situation on your behalf. “The ship we were planning to raid is their old ship,” he revealed.

Edward reacted swiftly, pushing back his chair with a clatter and abandoning the table without uttering a word. His movements were purposeful as he headed towards Stede’s auxiliary closet, leaving everyone with a sense of anticipation.

Stede’s gaze shifted between the unfolding scene and the absent Edward. “Well?” he prompted, addressing Fang. “What does that mean?”

Fang shot you a nervous glance to see if you’d begin to speak but he recognized that you weren’t in the best headspace. “They got pushed off their last ship, by the man they loved, Timothy was his name I think,” Fang explained, then offered a detailed account of the story to Stede, who absorbed the information with a furrowed brow. Meanwhile, Edward remained absent.

Seated on the couch, you drew your legs up and wrapped your arms around them, trying to shrink. As Fang narrated the story to Stede a million thoughts raced through your head and you couldn’t grasp onto any single one.

Your gaze followed Edward as he emerged from Stede’s closet, he had shed the distinctive bag-like garment and kitty collar he was wearing before and reverted to his familiar leather attire. Stede’s immediate reaction was an exasperated sigh, “Ed! What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna go kill that motherfucker,” Ed declared. “That’s what I’m doing.” “Edward, stand down,” Stede commanded firmly, a note of authority in his voice. “We need to ask them what they want. Look at them,” he urged, gesturing toward you.

Ed’s fierce anger melted into genuine worry as he observed the emotional turmoil reflected in your eyes. Bending down to your level, his tone softened, “Little mouse, what do you want us to do if he’s still on the ship?” The tenderness in his question surprised you.

“I don’t know,” you admitted quietly, uncertainty lacing your words. “What should I do?”

Stede joined Edward, offering his support as he whispered, “It might be good to talk it through.” Edward shot Stede with a look of concern. “Stede, last time they talked it through, they got pushed overboard. I’m not sure if that’s the best idea,” he replied with firm resolve.

Stede, eager to find a compromise, suggested, “Maybe we can lock him up in the brig, so they can talk. Would that work?” It was a practical solution, an attempt to create a controlled space for dialogue while minimizing the risk.

You nodded in agreement, torn between the fear of confronting the past and the apprehension of future regrets if you did nothing. The uncertainty weighed heavily, leaving you caught in the crossfire of conflicting emotions.

“It’s decided then.” Stede declared with authority. “I guess I need to go fill in the rest of the crew.” While Stede moved to leave his cabin, Edward stood up and pulled Fang aside, exchanging hushed words in a private conversation. Even at a whisper, his words carried to your ears, “Go update Izzy about this, Fang, before Stede announces it to the crew. He’s not going to fucking like this.” Just like Fang, the gravity of the situation was not lost on Edward.

Edward crouched down again, his hand gently finding its place on your arm, which was still tightly wrapped around your legs. “We’ll sort this,” he assured firmly, “Fang is talking to Iz…knowing him, he’ll be in here in a second, so I’m going to leave. I think I’m the last person he’ll want to see here with you.” Ed gave your arm a final reassuring pat before rising and heading towards the door leading onto the deck.

Alone for the first time, your body granted you the space to release the floodgate of emotions that had been tightly pent up. The idea of confronting the man who had inflicted such profound hurt twisted your stomach into knots, and tears welled up almost instantaneously. Slowly, the silent tears transformed into audible sobs. A profound sense of helplessness enveloped you. All the feelings you believed you had healed from came rushing back, as if you were reliving the initial agony again for the very first time.

The creaking of the cabin door signaled someone’s entrance, but you resisted the urge to look up. Instead, you kept your head buried in your thighs, legs still tightly curled up in a ball parallel to your chest. Displaying vulnerability was never your strong suit, a trait shared by many in the crew. You sensed someone taking a seat on the couch beside you. Although it wasn’t difficult to guess who it was, a wave of embarrassment kept your head firmly planted on your legs, hesitant to meet his eyes.

The gentle touch on your head confirmed what you suspected - Izzy had silently joined you in the cabin. His hand, warm and comforting, rested tenderly on your head, while his thumb traced soothing patterns up and down the back of your neck. The simple gesture worked, slowing the rapid pace of your breathing and providing a feeling of solid ground in the flood of emotions that had consumed you.

Izzy’s touch continued its calming dance until the tension in the air began to lift, and you felt secure enough to lift your head and meet his eyes. As your gaze connected with his, you couldn’t help but wonder what reflection stared back at him - a puffy, red-eyed version of yourself, no doubt. Unfazed, Izzy’s hands moved for your head to gently cup your face, his thumbs now taking on the tender role of wiping away the lingering tears that adorned your cheeks.

“What do you need?” Izzy whispered, his voice bearing a weight that echoed the pain coursing through you.

“I don’t know,” you responded, your voice quivering. “I don’t know why I’m feeling like this. I’m so fucking stupid.”

“Stop talking like that,” Izzy retorted gently, but a simmering anger underscored his words. “You are not stupid. The fucking twat who made you feel this way is stupid… Stupid fucking twat.” During Izzy’s response, his hands left your face, curling into tight fists on his legs as if ready to confront the very source of your distress.

“Izzy, will you stay here with me?” you asked earnestly, a plea laced with vulnerability. “I think that’s what I need.” “Of course,” Izzy responded without hesitation.

Gently stretching your legs out on the couch, you rested your head on his thigh. His hand found you again - his fingers running through your hair in a soothing rhythm. In the quiet intimacy of the cabin, being with Izzy served as a reminder that things were different than before. The feelings still felt overwhelming, but with Izzy and the rest of the crew you were safe.

⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓

Once news arrived that the raid had concluded, Izzy guided you onto the deck, his hand resting firmly on your back until you both were in everyone’s sight. He couldn’t decide if his touches were more for your comfort or his own. The sight of you in pain stirred an anguish within Izzy, and his deepest desire was to mend the hurt in any way possible. Wiping the tears from your face and enveloping you in his arms provided him with a sense of purpose, an action in the face of the unavoidable pain you were experiencing. The burning desire to kill the man who had caused you such distress surged within Izzy, fueled by the possibility that he was likely among the crew of the ship that was just raided. Yet, for your sake, he planned to temper his own impulses.

The crew had gathered the prisoners from the raid on The Revenge, awaiting the identification of the man their captains had spoken about. Blackbeard separated you from Izzy, pulling you aside and whispering quietly in your ear. Izzy's gaze remained fixed, watching intently as you nervously pointed to one of the captured crew members. Izzy scrutinized the man you had pointed to trying to gauge his presence and assess him. A recollection surfaced in Izzy's mind: Timothy was the name Edward had used when recounting your story to him on The Queen Anne's Revenge. He was around your age, stood tall, his brunette hair seemingly catching the light. His stature, combined with a confident demeanor, grated on Izzy's nerves. Even in the midst of being restrained, Timothy’s presence managed to emit an air of self-assuredness, intensifying the rage that was simmering beneath the surface.

Blackbeard commanded Fang to apprehend the identified man and confine him to the brig. As Fang executed the order, dragging him away, Izzy observed the unfolding scene with a keen eye. Timothy, finally seeing you for the first time, had an expression on his face resembling that of someone who had seen a ghost. As the twat called out your name, Izzy's attention shifted to you. The nuances of your reaction didn't escape him. There was a fleeting wince, a subtle recoiling at the sound of Timothy’s voice calling your name, but you ignored him.

Fang delivered a swift punch to the man's stomach on the way to the brig, eliciting a yelp of pain. "Fang!" you reprimanded your friend, disapproving of the unnecessary aggression.

"Sorry, he just slipped into my fist," Fang replied with a smug grin. "I don't know what happened."

Izzy couldn't help but smirk at Fang's action, he was relieved the crew shared his protective instincts towards you.

"I knew it!" Roach declared triumphantly to Frenchie once the chaos had settled.

"Were you two betting on who Timothy was?" you questioned Roach with a curious tone.

As you spoke to your friends, Izzy, feigning disinterest, deliberately kept his focus on other matters around the ship. He positioned himself far enough away, cautious not to draw attention to his listening ears. The eavesdropping distance provided a subtle vantage point from which he could hear the unfolding conversation without making his investment too obvious.

"Yes. Frenchie thought it was that guy," Roach replied, pointing to an elderly sailor who appeared to be about 80 years old.

Izzy felt a pang of worry, concerned that any teasing directed at you in this moment might risk breaking your calm composure. However, his anxiety began to ease as he witnessed a genuine grin spread across your face – the most authentic expression he had seen since the news had broken that morning. The sight brought a welcomed relief, reassuring Izzy that your resilient spirit was still present despite everything you were feeling.

"What the fuck, Frenchie? He's ancient!" you exclaimed, playfully punching him in the arm.

"Ow," Frenchie responded, holding his arm in mock pain. "I thought you were into older guys." He teased, prompting a lighthearted exchange.

Izzy observed as a deep shade of red crept across your features in response to Frenchie's comment, and you briefly glanced around.

Swiftly, you hushed Frenchie, attempting to quell the potentially embarrassing situation. "Stop betting on my love life," you whispered back to the pair of men, your words carrying a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Curiosity filled Izzy, but he recognized that this wasn't the moment to delve into those thoughts. His immediate concern was ensuring that you made it through the day, and that took precedence over anything else.

Several of the captured crew members, along with their captain, recognized you. Izzy observed as you graciously greeted each of them, offering apologies for the inconvenience. He couldn't understand your kindness, wondering why you would show mercy to those who hadn’t protected you like they should have. The men who recognized you did appear relieved and grateful to see you alive and well. While it didn't come as a shock that you had forged connections with them during your time on their ship, Izzy marveled at your ability to connect with almost anyone.

"Iz," you called out, capturing his attention as you walked up to him, interrupting his thoughts about you. "You can say no, but… would you be there with me when I talk to him?"

Izzy replied with a small nod. A wave of relief washed over him, grateful that you had asked him to accompany you. The idea of leaving you alone with that twat might have been impossible for him. If he was being honest, a deep curiosity stirred within him about meeting someone you used to love, paired with an undeniable feeling of jealousy. No, Izzy thought to himself, you shouldn't be alone in there with him.

Izzy’s keen eyes followed your every move as you paced the length of the ship with an air of nervous energy. For what felt like an eternity, you traversed the deck. Every now and then, when it seemed you were on the verge of descending below deck, you abruptly changed direction, as if caught in a perpetual cycle.

As you began the cycle anew, Izzy quickly intervened, stepping in to halt your pacing, his grip on your shoulders gentle but firm, reminiscent of past moments. "You don't have to talk to him," Izzy whispered. If it were Izzy's decision, the confrontation would have started and ended with a swift thrust of his blade, but the idea of "talking it through," instilled by Stede Bonnet, wove itself deeply into the fabric of this crew. With the resurgence of the Kraken, Izzy found himself considering that perhaps, against his instincts, Stede might have been right all along.

Your gaze remained fixed on his chest, as if peering through him, likely pondering his remark. “I know,” you sighed, “but I feel like I’ll regret it if I don’t say anything.” Izzy observed the transformation on your face, shifting from distraction to determination, and your eyes met his. “I need this to finally be done.” With those words, you left Izzy’s grasp, making your way below deck. Swiftly, Izzy followed, aware you were likely headed to the prisoner.

“You’ve got this,” echoed Fang’s encouraging shout from the deck as the two of you descended below.

Izzy watched the final deep breath you took before entering the area that held the brig. There was a strength in your demeanor, a contrast from the morning, yet Izzy couldn’t shake the concern that lingered about how this conversation might affect you. It remained too unpredictable.

The brig was a dimly lit, confined space tucked away in the belly of the ship. A series of iron bars formed the cell structure, allowing a glimpse into the confined space. The flickering light of a lantern suspended from a hook on the wall cast uneven shadows. Sparse and functional, the brig had a simple wooden bench fixed to one side. Timothy, seated upon it with his head resting on his hands, looked up at the sound of approaching company. Swiftly rising, he moved towards the bars of his cell, as he uttered your name once again, this time in a mix of shock and recognition.

“Timothy,” you uttered flatly in response, a stark greeting that revealed little emotion. Despite your stoic demeanor, Izzy knew you well enough to tell that you were still scared. Yet, you persevered, putting on a brave face in front of this fucking twat.

“You’re alive,” he whispered back, Izzy visibly rolled his eyes at the statement but remained quietly standing further away, wanting to respect your space.

“I know. That must be a surprise for you,” you replied dryly, your tone devoid of any warmth.

“I’ve thought about you every day since you fell off the ship, hoping you were alive,” he responded, his words carrying a tone of pleading sincerity.

“Since I fell?” you asked, your cool composure giving way.

Izzy studied your face, discerning something he had never witnessed before. Muscles tensed beneath your skin, evident in the way your jaw clenched and your fist tightened at your sides. Your posture shifted, becoming more rigid, as if every muscle in your body was ready for a fight. Izzy, accustomed to your usual composure, couldn’t help but note the unfamiliar contours of your rage, a sight both alarming and mesmerizing.

“You pushed me,” you spat, each word drawn out with a venomous precision that cut through the air.

“Pushed you?” Timothy replied with feigned shock. “I was trying to catch you. I tried to get help, but it was too late.”

Izzy watched as this ponce addressed you with an air of condescension, as if attempting to portray you as clueless and naive, working to convince you that you were misremembering what happened. Izzy clenched his jaw. It took every ounce of self-control not to storm across the room and deliver a punch that would wipe the smugness off this man’s face.

You maintained silence in response to Timothy’s words, prompting him to continue. “It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that you’re alive. We can sail together again. You and I, just like the old days.”

“How long did it take for them to leave you? A month? A week?” you responded smugly, a sarcastic curl to your lips that hinted at your disdain. Izzy assumed you were referring to the person he left you for, the one he deemed worth throwing you overboard for. Izzy observed the man in the brig, and the cracks in his composed mask became visible at your comment, anger flashing in his eyes.

“I left them,” he muttered through clenched teeth, but quickly regained his composure, reverting to the role he was playing. “I missed you too much. It killed me.”

Izzy watched as your hands wrapped around the cold bars of his cell, leaning in closer to convey your unwavering resolve. “I will never go anywhere with you again,” you whispered, the words reverberating through the confined space.

“Oh come on,” he pleaded in a hushed tone, arrogance still echoing in every word. “You’re happy here? With a bunch of pirates?”

Your response was a smug smile and nod, a nonchalant retort that only fueled his growing anger. “I know you still love me,” he insisted, leaning even closer into the bars, narrowing the distance between you.

“No fucking way,” you responded firmly, the rage still evident in your eyes.

“Oh I see. You’ve met someone else” he sneered, his fingers snaking through the bars to grab your wrist. “You’ve found someone else to follow around. Who is it?”

Izzy snapped immediately, his gaze turning fierce as he watched this man lay hands on you. “You will get your fucking hand off them, twat, or I’ll happily cut it off.” Izzy growled, his protective instinct kicking into overdrive.

The man quickly released your wrist, and Izzy pulled you back from the cell with swift determination. Though it was only a matter of seconds, Izzy knew he’d never allow this fucker to get close to you again.

Timothy began to laugh, his eyes shifting between the two of you. “Him?” he chided, gesturing towards Izzy.

Izzy nervously glanced at your face, anticipating a hint of embarrassment or shame. However, to his surprise, you appeared certain, resolute in the face of the man’s taunts.

You didn’t retreat back to the cage; instead, you stood taller, asserting your presence next to Izzy. “Yes,” you proclaimed, your voice unwavering, “him.” Izzy observed Timothy glaring at both of you, but you didn’t falter. Instead, you continued speaking with a calm determination. “He is a hundred times better than the man you pretend to be. He’s strong, loyal, and one of the smartest sailors I’ve ever met. I’m safe when I’m with him.”

Izzy felt, for a second, like he was in a dream. A surreal moment where reality blurred with his deepest desires. For a fleeting moment, he tried to reason with himself, attempting to talk himself out of what he was hearing. You were admitting you still cared for him, and it didn’t seem like a mere performance for the man who had broken your heart, It seemed genuine. The words echoed in his mind, and he couldn’t dismiss the sincerity in your voice. The weight of the admission hung in the air, and for the first time, Timothy found himself without a response.

Timothy’s silence seemed to embolden you, and you continued your speech with a quiet yet firm resolve, as if the words had been rehearsed in your mind hundreds of times. “When my mother died, you were the only one I had left. You were my family. That’s why I’ve been so blind to what a complete and utter ass you are,” you said, your voice steady. “But I want to thank you because you pushing me off that ship is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I have a real family here now–not only Izzy, but everyone else on this crew.”

The weight of your gratitude for the new family you had found on The Revenge lingered in the air, and Izzy felt a profound understanding of your words.

You turned to leave, but Timothy spoke again, venom lacing his words. “You were always pathetic,” he hissed, the bitterness evident in his tone. “Always following me around like a puppy dog. The attention was fun at first, but then it just got boring.”

“Just give him back to his captain, Iz,” you said flatly, unfazed by his attempt to provoke you. “He’s not worth it,” With that, you left the brig, heading back on deck.

Now alone, Timothy redirected his comments toward Izzy with a sly tilt of his head. “You’ll get tired of them too one day. You’ll see. When you need your space you can always use my method… just a little push.”

Izzy, fueled by a surge of anger, grabbed Timothy through the bars, slamming his head against the hard metal of the door. Timothy yelped in pain, but Izzy continued holding him tightly, leaning menacingly toward him. “I’ve met some stupid fucking twats during my lifetime, but you are number fucking one. If it was up to me, you’d be tied to an anchor and dropped to the bottom of the ocean.” Izzy let go of the man with a forceful shove, causing him to fall onto the ground. “They,” Izzy spat, gesturing towards the spot where you had just stood, “are the only reason you’re still alive because every person on this crew would happily gut you otherwise. You lost something precious, and I’m never going to let myself make that mistake.”

⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓

After leaving the brig, you sought out Stede and informed him of your decision to send Timothy back to his ship. The conversation inside the cell probably wasn’t what Stede had imagined when he suggested you talk it through, yet you felt a sense of relief that it was finally over. Timothy’s true colors had been shown, revealing his manipulative nature that you were grateful to have escaped.

You made your way to the bow, leaning against the banister — the familiar spot where introspection came easier to you. You contemplated what Izzy might be feeling right now. While expressing your feelings for him hadn’t been part of the plan, you no longer regretted being honest. You were tired of concealing your emotions, but even still, you didn't anticipate a significant change in your dynamic with Izzy. It hadn’t changed anything before.

Lost in your thoughts, you eventually sensed another presence. Turning around, you found Izzy standing there. Approaching you, Izzy gently lifted the wrist that Timothy had grabbed earlier, the same wrist Izzy had carefully wrapped after your injury many weeks ago. His fingers traced soothing circles, a silent acknowledgement of the unspoken pain you endured. Before uttering a word, Izzy scanned your face, his eyes searching for signs of distress.

“His captain will handle him,” Izzy spoke sternly, “They’ve sailed away.”

You acknowledged his words with a nod, unsure how to respond, the weight of recent events still lingering in the air. Sensing your unease, Izzy cupped your face with his hands, a gesture that was becoming more familiar but no less comforting.

“How are you feeling?” he asked gently, his concern evident in the warmth of his eyes.

“I feel calm now,” you whispered, a smile gracing your lips. “I needed closure, so thank you for being there for me” Izzy’s eyes softened as he listened.

Izzy’s hands lingered on the sides of your face as his eyes darted back and forth, signaling that he was lost in contemplation. “What’s on your mind, Israel?” you asked, attempting to pull him out of his head.

“You told him it was me,” Izzy responded uncertainly, referencing your earlier confession of feelings.

“Yes,” you responded matter-of-factly, looking into his eyes curiously.

“Why?” Izzy replied. He seemed uncertain in this moment, a stark contrast to the commanding presence he normally displayed on the deck.

“Because it is you, Izzy,” you replied sweetly, gazing at him with adoration. “It has been for a long time. Long before we ended up on this ship, with this crew.” In that moment, a shift appeared in Izzy’s expression, a trace of longing. It mirrored the same look you had witnessed on the first night you spent time together on the bow of the ship. His eyes lingered on your lips.

“Israel Hands,” you cooed, the soft utterance of his name drawing his gaze to meet yours once again. With a playful smirk, you continued, “If there’s even a small part of you that wants to kiss me right now, I’m begging you to do it.”

That was all Izzy needed to hear. His lips eagerly found yours in a passionate collision. His hands cradled your face as if you were the most important thing he had ever held. As the kiss deepened, his strong hands traveled down to your waist, pulling you closer to his body. Simultaneously, your hands found their way around his neck, fingers entwining in the tousled strands of his hair. The world around you seemed to fade as the intensity of the moment heightened, the connection between you and Izzy growing stronger with each passing second. Izzy’s lips departed from yours and embarked on a journey down your neck, prompting a gasp to escape your lips. You kept your eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of his lips caressing your skin. Each tender kiss sent shivers down your spine.

The resonance of Stede’s voice reverberated across the deck, jolting you both back to the awareness of your surroundings. As you exchanged glances, a giggle escaped your lips.

Izzy’s smile persisted as he spoke with authority, “My cabin. Five minutes.” He punctuated his words with another lingering kiss on your lips.

Breathless, you responded, “Yes, sir.” With a steadying moment on the bow, you collected yourself before making your way to the first mate’s cabin, anticipation building for what awaited in the privacy of Izzy’s quarters.

Fortunately for you both, the crew seemed absorbed in their own activities, paying little attention to your discreet entrance into Izzy’s cabin. The moment the door clicked shut behind you, the atmosphere shifted. You stared silently at each other until Izzy pulled you into another passionate kiss.

The unspoken understanding between you and Izzy lingered in the air as you undressed each other, the layers of clothing falling away like a barrier that had kept your desires at bay. Standing there, exposed and vulnerable, a silent acknowledgement passed between you, the world outside the cabin fading into insignificance. Your fingers traced the contours of Izzy’s chest, your gaze meeting his in a moment of shared vulnerability.

His hands found their way to your bare arms, a gentle squeeze conveying a question that echoed in his words. “I want this,” he murmured, his touch conveying reassurance. “Is this what you want?”

In response, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, bringing him closer, and his fingers traced down the length of your back. “Yes,” you whispered, the word carrying a weight of longing. “More than anything.”

{Next Chapter}

Taglist: @5tud10-54r4h @locamoka-blog @promptly-mercy @this--is--music @raviolical @lxsm2 @emilynissangtr

#izzy hands x reader #ofmd #izzy hands #our flag means death #ofmd x reader #ofmd fanfic #too soft to be a pirate

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gentlebeardsbarngrill · 28 days

Text

05/01/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Samba; Con; Rachel House; Gizmo Darby; Nathan; Vico; Leslie; Watch Party Reminders: Palm Royale tomorrow; Adopt Our Crew Breakdown of GLAAD Fan Spotlight; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika

= Cast & Crew Sightings =

= Samba Schutte =

It's the last week to order this limited edition Crew For Life T-Shirt! All proceeds go to benefiting "EVERY MOTHER COUNTS". Order your Crew For Life shirt here!

Img Src: Samba Schutte's IG

= Con O'Neill =

Our dear Con O'Neill is encouraging everyone to get out and vote! #VoteTheFuckersOut

Img Src: Con O'Neill's IG

= Nathan Foad =

Quick peak of Nathan on his IG again <3

Img Src: Nathan Foad's IG

= Rachel House =

There's a new article out featuring Rachel House and her first time directing!

Rachel House on first-time directing and the power of mounga

Img Src: @temaungafilm Instagram

= Vico Ortiz =

Vico's posted a few updates, the first link relates to recent events. Check it out below.

Img Src: Vico Ortiz IG

In addition, there's a new episode of Date My Abuelita First Podcast! Date My Abuelita, First! Podcast Links

Img Src: Vico Ortiz IG

= Leslie Jones =

Reminder! Leslie is hosting "Netflix Is a Joke" Fest at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, CA! Want more info? Visit NetflixIsAJokeFest

= Gizmo Darby =

Samba must be out visiting the Darby Family because here's Gizmo taking residence in Samba's lap.

Img Src: Samba Schutte's IG

== Watch Party Reminders ==

= Palm Royale =

Palm Royale WP May 2 via @LCWebsXOXO with the lovely @/dominicburgess approx. 4pm EDT/9pm BST/1pm PST!

= Wrecked Season 1 =

Another week of Wrecked Season 1 is on the docket! Don't have access? Reach out to me on @gentlebeardsbarngrill on tumblr, or @aspirantabby42 on twitter.

Days: Apr 29 - May 3

Times: 3:30 pm PT / 6:30 pm ET / 11:30 pm BST

== Adopt Our Crew ==

You may have heard that GLAAD released their "Where We Are on TV" report. Well our fantastic crewmates over at @adoptourcrew were kind enough to do a thread on twitter breaking down the various aspects. @adoptourcrew's Twitter Thread Here. If you have access to twitter, please head over there and give their post some love. Thank you friends for putting this all together!

Full GLAAD Report

TV Line Article

The Wrap Article

Hollywood Reporter Article

Gay Times Article

= Fan Spotlight =

= Cast Cards =

Tonight we have the priest that officiated Stede and Mary's wedding, Benton Jennings! Thank you @melvisik for making sure he made it in with the rest of the cast!

= OFMD Colouring Pages =

Ooo @patchworkpiratebear has done it again! This one looks so cool! I can't wait to color this one myself! Thanks hon!

@patchworkpiratebear's Tumblr

= Pixel Art =

Our awesome @blueberreads started MerMay off strong with the SaveOFMD MerMay prompt of Spanish Jackie'z!

Source: @blueberreads Tumblr

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. I know that there's a lot going on right now in the world and it's especially tense for those of you who are in Uni or in cities with Universities. This is a really tough time for you, and I want you to know we're thinking about you.

If you need to vent, or you need help getting access to something, please be sure to reach out to your crew. We care a lot about you, and we know these are scary times. Make sure to stay safe if you can, and if you're in a position to be out in harms way, make sure you've got emergency supplies and support in case things get hairy. There's a link above in the Vico section specifically regarding if things get really hairy where you can go for help (or how you can help those who need it).

You all are so very brave. Seriously, whether you're on the ground, or supporting financially, or bringing supplies, or just spreading the word online and keeping eyes and cameras on things to keep the situations honest, or even just staying put where it's safe and taking some self-care time-- you're doing everything you can.

Sometimes it feels like what we do doesn't make an impact. Sometimes it feels like these tiny ripples won't go anywhere. You're making the ripples, and those inspire others to make ripples as well.

You're making a difference no matter how big or how small, don't forget that lovelies. Please stay safe wherever you are, were thinking of you.

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Today's theme is "Zoom zoom zoom!"

Gifs courtesy of the fantastic @kiwistede and darling @meluli <3

#daily ofmd recap #daily ofmd recaps #ofmd daily recap #ofmd daily recaps #vico ortiz #rachel house #leslie jones #samba schutte #nathan foad #mermay #adopt our crew #con o neill #ofmd #our flag means death #save ofmd #adopt our crew team #gizmo darby

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ludwigplayingthetrombone · 2 years

Text

OFMD fix-it Epilogue

Decided to make an epilogue as a thank you! wanted to try and write some fallout from the reunion. takes place over about a week. tw for blood and stede saying something self harmy. Thank you all again for the incredible response to both parts ;w;

Part one Part two

Stede: Edward! [ed gasps for breath]

Ed: What are you doing? Stede: [screams] cHRIST, Ed, Warn a man! Ed: You don’t get a warning when you’re being a dickhead. Why were you running around and lifting shit

Stede: Settled a crew dispute! I didn’t want to disturb your rest, so I took care of it. Everything’s- oh. Ed: Stede! Stede: I’m fine, really! Ed: Yes, I believe you, man bleeding and drenched in sweat! Stede: I don’t want to just sit on my ass while everyone else busts theirs. Bit of a bad start to co-captaining again, y’ know. Ed: Better than a fuckin’ dead one! You saved their asses, so let them handle it

Ed: Let me handle it Stede: It’s my mess. Why should you? Ed: Thought we agreed we both fucked up. This isn’t about the gash, is it?

Stede: Sitting idle is making me...anxious. I...I have this feeling something bad is going to happen. This all went way too well. I feel like the proverbial shoe is about to drop. Ed: You think you’re the only one feelin’ like that? I’m the reason you’re laid up; what with the stabbing and all. Also, this was ‘went too well‘? Scared to ask what the worst case scenrio was in your depraved little mind. Stede: Truth be told, the stab was for my peace of mind as well. Hopefully as cathartic for you as it was for me. Ed: [horrified silence] Things are... super weird right now, but-... Before shit went sideways, Lucius was telling me about the wonders of self care. Stede: Oh no, I feel fantastic! Absolute bliss, believe me! It’s just...

Stede: But of a novice with this, genuine courtship, let alone the pirate kind! No clue. Plus I didnt facror in the wound-. Perhaps I’m overthinking Ed: hmm Stede: Hard to believe, I know. Ed: If you’re uneasy, I can back off a bit Stede: Not from being with you. The opposite actually. I’m scared I won’t be able to treat you how you truly deserve. If I could shoulder your trauma for even a moment, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’d do anything really.

Stede: Sometimes I recall the hurt in your eyes when I first returned, and it forms a pit in my stomach. That’s all. Ed: I’m terrified, Stede. Never thought I’d find something like this. Someone who sees the me I hid for so long. I’m in the same boat as you this time. I’ve never done... all this before either. Feeling ‘n shit

Ed: No plan. Have no idea how this’ll go. It’s exhilarating, amazing, mortifying, sometimes i wanna throw up- I feel FUCKIN’ ALIVE!

Ed: You feel it too, right? Stede: Of course, my GOD, man Ed: Then, you being on this ship is enough, Stede. Knowing you’ll be here to peel me off the ground and put me back together. That’s all I need. And I’ll keep your fancy ass alive everytime you rip open your guts. Stede: Well, that just won’t due for someone of your caliber. Bare minimum really. After all,

Stede: I’d be dead many times over by now without you Ed: Yeah, you would. Ridiculous man. Stede: I think you fancy a ridiculous man

Ed: Yeah, think maybe I do. No one’s ever gonna take him away from me again. Including the lunatic in front of me. FANG! Come fix up captain bonnet. And strap him to a chair so he stays put [stede sighs]

Stede: If you can believe, not my first stint being tied to a chair Lucius: Oh, I believe pretty easy

Stede: Focus, Lucius. I have to nail this rebrand Lucius: I’m sorry, I can’t see anything else you’d be. Maybe grow a mustache? Stede: Now there’s an idea!

Lucius: Yeah, you’d look very dilfy Stede: Dilfy? Ed: Why are you one the floor? Stede: Oh! Welcome back! Needed a change of texture! How’d it go! Ed: Boring. Gave up instantly.

Ed: Crew’s back, go irritate Izzy. Lucius: Perfect. I hate third wheeling you two specifically. Ed: Hey Stede: Well, this is a familiar angle Ed: It’s a good angle! Stede: I concur!

Ed: How’s the stitches? Stede: Ship shape! Ed: Good man. Bummed you missed the raid? Stede: A little bit Ed: You wanna cause some havoc?! Maim some people? Stede: More of perhaps managing the maiming, but yes! Share in the camaraderie!

Ed: Brought you stuff. Stede: Really? [muffled] oh lovely!

Ed: Thought you could build your public closet up again. Whatever you dont want, i’ll throw in the rec pile Stede: This wouuld look beautiful on you. keep this one. Ed: Me? These are for you, nut. Stede: Of course you! Always wanted someone to share this passion with! Even more fun when you acquire fine things together.

Stede: Only made finer by being worn by you. Ed: These are for you too

Stede: [choked noise] I thought looting books wasn’t piratey? Ed: Notice I put them in a bag and didn’t replace. Stede: Some of these are great finds! Impeccable taste as always. Ed: Meant to do that. Totally didnt just throw shit in a bag and run. Just that good

Ed: We gotta fill these shelves again with cool shit. Plus, you gotta read to the crew at night. They really miss it. Been filing complaints for days

Ed: The balls on you to kiss Blackbeard on the cheek. Unheard of! Stede: One could say, balls for days

Ed:See? Left yourself wide open! Could have easily nicked your liver Stede: Was that your real plan all along? Ed: Most coveted liver in the seven seas. Blackbeard has to have it. Stede: You could have just asked

#gentlebeard #blackbonnet #our flag means death #ofmd #my art

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queerfandomtrifecta · 5 months

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OFMD 2 and the opposite Blackbonnet parallels in ocean emotional symbolism.

Okay so I know I’m firmly on the OFMD critical side because of s2 but here’s a little bit of meta that isn’t just straight narrative criticism. I missed being able to find the depth in the show and (say what you will bout Ed and Stede’s (non-existent) arcs this season (and believe me I’ve got a LOT to say there)) Be that as it may, this is a Stede and Ed/Blackbonnet meta post.

Also lovelies, please don’t derail the reblogs/comments into what you think is wrong about my first paragraph above here or just generally being rude. It’s not about that, and either way please just make your own post about your disagreements, plz and thanks ♥️

But recently I saw another piece of meta discussing Stede’s line as he’s making Low walk the plank.

Low: “You’re gonna toss me into the sea?”

Stede: “Works for spiders. Works for men.”

And it really got me thinking.

I thought that line was a little bit… oddly specific with the spider thing? Until it clicked that in s2e4, Ed is talking to Stede Bunnet/Wolf in the forest about how he has a tattoo of a spider on his hand because he had a phobia of spiders.

So yeah, it’s sweet that Stede seems to have been implied that Stede is throwing the scary spiders overboard for Ed (or at least has firmly instructed the crew to do so always). Clearly Ned Low (aside from just being horrible all around to the crew) has really been extra terrible on a deeply personal level to Ed. So Stede decides he’s is gonna throw him off the ship. That seems sweet (I guess, but with the massive caveat of I SWEAR I thought they would go a different direction with Stede’s first kill that Ed begged him not to do, but apparently that was supposed to be read as a positive improvement on Stede’s character?? Like yeah Ned Low was shitty af but like I thought they were going somewhere very different with the resolution but… anyway. I digress… that’s a separate post.)

Anyway, getting back to the point. At this point, it seems like the things Ed doesn’t like/scare him/make him viscerally uncomfortable have to get off the ship. Immediately. Spiders. Ned Low. The guy on the fancy ship in s1 who he instructs fang to lash to something heavy and throw him overboard (after skinning him).

But like, when Ed was having the first Kraken breakdown, the first thing that he let go in the breeze to be blown away and inevitably he lose to the ocean was his red silken pocket square. Immediately after that was Lucius, the first man he’d encountered since he’d clearly been hurt by Izzy and decided to become the Kraken. Lucius is calling him Ed and chatting chipperly and casually after Ed’s had his breakdown from first Stede leaving then again from what Izzy said, and Lucius has a history of putting Ed in his place, so between that and wrong place/wrong time, to the ocean Lucius went. The next was all of Stede’s things personal things. Books, (presumably) clothes, who knows what else. After that, almost Stede’s entire crew were taken off the ship and marooned in the middle of the ocean (save Jim and Frenchie).

S2 Kraken era starts, and the crew are told to throw their hard earned treasure into the sea. Throw it overboard, too much plunder, we have to lighten the load to make it to the next target. Izzy conveys to Ed the answer is no, the rest of that scene happens, and then Ed says “throw this shit overboard and get suited up.” Presumably they do before/while cleaning up Izzy’s blood. Next episode we see Ed playing with the Stede/Ed wedding toppers that night, breaking down into tears, and then finally going to the broken window and throwing the toppers one by one into the sea. After Izzy’s leg is amputated and he’s discovered alive, presumably Izzy’s leg is given a burial at sea (it’s unclear but I’m assuming it can’t stay aboard the ship and either way Ed clearly can’t even bear to look at it when he tells him “take the fuckin’ leg.”)

After Ed presumes Izzy killed himself, Ed goes on deck and talks to Frenchie, who is clearly terrified and just offers to throw himself overboard into the sea to make things easier. Ed says no, go live, brother. All the meanwhile he’s fully suicidal and planning to sink the very last thing of Stede’s, The Revenge, it’s crew (some of which began as Stede’s) and himself (notably finally wearing Stede’s cravat once again for the first point all season) into the ocean, to be lost to the depths forever with everything else Ed can’t handle for one reason or another.

The morning after Calypso’s birthday, Ed throws his leathers into the ocean. He’s done with that life, wants no more pirating, wants to be a regular guy, so into the ocean his Blackbeard “costume” goes.

Ed is spending so much time letting or trying to let the ocean swallow up everything that’s too hard for him. To let it all sink to the depths or at least be off the boat and presumably dead ASAP.

But like, you know what Stede spent all that time throwing into the ocean? Beautifully written love letters in bottles to the man he loves. Bottles that floated away, not sank, and he hopped, impossibly, the ocean might just carry them to Ed in some romantic adventure hero, love-story-for-the-ages type way.

Ed seems to feel doomed to a life of piracy he wants out of from the moment we meet in in s1, so it only makes sense that the ocean would feel like the inevitable destruction of everything for him.

Stede chooses the ocean and says how much he misses it multiple times. Of course it would seem like hope to him.

The fact that those two were reunited while I was drowning underwater and Stede was a sea creature, a mermaid, coming down to meet him where he was in his struggle in that scene and they stay there, met in the middle in the depths of the ocean which clearly means SO much to both of them in different ways as the scene ends. Idk. Something about that.

Anyway. This felt like maybe something but idk at this point. I have my feelings about s2 but I legitimately miss being able to analyze stuff and write meta! So. Here. Have this Blackbonnet ocean parallels/possible metaphors/symbology train of though.

#ofmd spoilers #ofmd #ofmd season 2 #gentlebeard #blackbonnet #ed teach #ofmd stede #stede bonnet #ofmd meta #ofmd speculation #ofmd critical #but just sort of #but I’m tagging it anyway lol

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jaskierx · 8 months

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sorry i've thought about it more and i know this is boring and will get screenshotted on twitter by people wanting to gloat about how 'iZzY aNtIs aRe SeEtHiNg' and there's still 3 eps left and yada yada but the way that izzy's wrongs have been completely glossed over while ed's have been condemned is making me feel like there's been a u turn and the show is not just handwaving what izzy did in e10 but is actually suggesting he was justified in acting like that

specifically, the scene with izzy and lucius where izzy talks about the shark and moving on - it really felt like the show is now placing ed throwing lucius overboard on an equal level as ed causing izzy to lose his leg, and as if they didn't really know what level of severity they wanted to treat these incidents as. because previously, it felt like they were saying that ed's harm to izzy was separate to ed's harm to the rest of the crew (in the sense that it's more severe, but more justified, and also unique to ed and izzy because of whatever psychosexual thing izzy has going on there). and this made sense with last week's episodes bc stede's crew are shown to be view getting marooned as if it wasn't such a big deal, and lucius's anger was directed more towards stede than towards ed

but this week it feels much more like the narrative's main takeaway from ed's response to izzy's threats in e10 and ed's subsequent depression and suicide attempt is 'ed harmed the crew and he shouldn't have done that and now he needs to earn everybody's forgiveness'. and that's it. nothing further

there's been no real acknowledgement of izzy's role in causing that, or izzy's role in the crew being caught by the navy in s1e8, or any of the other shit that izzy did to the crew in s1, and from what we've seen so far i doubt there will be. he's had an off screen redemption arc and the crew love him now and that would feel way less bad if:

ed's actions weren't under such scrutiny

there wasn't such a dramatic difference between s1 izzy and s2 izzy and their respective roles in the story

there weren't racist undertones in terms of how izzy faces absolutely no consequences for threatening ed bc he wants him to fulfil a stereotyped role, or for comparing ed to a 'wild dog' who needs to be put down, but ed does face consequences for responding to these

like. izzy got mutinied immediately after selling the crew out to the british. and in terms of fights it's currently 2-0 to stede. part of stede's ultimate fantasy reunion dream included stabbing izzy to death. stede appeared to be fully tired of izzy's bullshit last week bc he'd just tried to kill the guy stede loves. so why the fuck is he going to izzy for training? why is he looking to izzy for advice and approval about being a good captain? why is he trying to bond with him about ed? why are we now being told that ed owes his success as blackbeard to izzy?

and this isn't even a liking izzy vs hating izzy issue - i never hated izzy in the first place, his canon characterisation in s1 was really good, i thought he was a shitty little man but he was the antagonist so that means they did a good job. but even if i loved izzy and i was really pleased that he'd been accepted into the crew etc i'd be scratching my head about why it's just happened with no narrative explanation

yes it's the queer joy show. yes it's the 'everyone can change and get better and reflect on how they've hurt people' show. so how come ed's the only one who's having to work for it? how come izzy's entire redemption arc has been told and not shown?

and the rest of the show is so fucking good which is why it's so disappointing and why it'll really fucking hurt if we get like. s8 game of thrones levels of bad ending

#oh to be a fan favourite white guy whose writers have decided he's done no wrong #anyway. enjoy i guess #ofmd #ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd meta #izzy critical #lyse.jpg #izzy hands #edward teach

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our-death-means-flag · 2 years

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Hug = Existential Crisis

Ship: Izzy Hands x Reader Notes: This angry little man is on repeat in my brain. So I wrote the whole Izzy scenario out from the Headcanons: Hugging the Revenge Crew post. A character expecting bad things and getting kindness instead is a trope I live for. Warnings: izzy being himself, lots of cursing (obviously)

You honestly had no idea how you’d gotten yourself into this situation.

As Stede Bonnet’s first mate and the self appointed peace keeper of the Revenge, you had been trying incredibly hard to get Izzy Hands to be part of the crew. You invited him to join in any activity and tried to get the rest of the crew to relax with the insults. You’d even taken to chatting with him during evening watch.

Evening watch was a chore the whole crew hated. But you always liked it. It was calm and quiet and you’d take almost any chance to enjoy the night sky. It seemed that Izzy also enjoyed the night shift so the two of you had ended up alone on deck most nights. The two of you had developed a bit of a rapport. It became routine for you two to spend late nights chatting about all kinds of things or just sitting in comfortable silence.

As much as you wanted to say that you’d been trying to include Izzy for the crew’s benefit, there was another reason. You had… a crush. It wasn’t just that you thought he was handsome (though he absolutely was and you absolutely did). That would have been easy to deal with. But no, you had a proper honest to god crush.

You’d actually gotten to know the high strung first mate and under all the aggression, he was honestly quite likable. He was dedicated, hardworking, loyal, and a shockingly good teacher once you got past the yelling. It also helped that his harsh snark was absolutely hilarious and you’d laughed so hard you worried you’d wake the crew many times during these little chats. He balanced you out pretty well. You were an alright sailor, but a weak leader. You struggled with being assertive. But together, you two made a good team. Izzy handled the assertiveness and you brought a softer hand.

Yes you had a hopeless crush on the man.

And yet you’d offered him a hug without even thinking.

The night had started normally enough, as usual you brought two cups of tea up to the deck, one for you the way you liked it and the other for Izzy, black tea with a little milk. He always insisted that he didn’t want any but he always drank the entire cup so you always brought him one.

Everything else was just as typical. Izzy’d been complaining about Stede as usual, something about having been subjected to a long rant from the strange captain about some kind of fancy manners thing. And while you liked Stede, you could agree that the man could probably talk even the most patient of men into an early grave. Of course the specific circumstances where he was annoyed eventually ended up being moved aside for the real reasons he was upset. How he thought that the way Stede and the rest of the crew did things were going to get everyone killed. Izzy had been almost nervous and clearly upset so you’d said something incredibly stupid.

“Do you need a hug?” The offer slipped out so easily. Everyone on the Revenge was pretty liberal with the physical affection and were it anyone else, it would have been the right thing to offer. But it was Izzy, who was clearly uncomfortable with the idea. You hoped your face wasn’t as red as you thought it would be.

Izzy baulked at the idea, staring at you with wide eyes in shock for a moment before… “Fuck off.” Izzy finally hissed out and looked away from you.

Most people would have backed off at that but you spoke fluent enough Izzy to know that ‘fuck off’ said in that tone of voice actually meant ‘I have no idea what to say in this situation’ so you persisted.

“If that’s actually what you want then I will. But I wasn’t joking or anything. I mean it. If you need a hug, just say the word.”

Izzy narrowed his eyes as he visibly tried to figure you out. “Don’t need one.” He mumbled, the venom gone from his tone. He almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than you. You could see a hint of some kind of sadness in his eyes and his hands shook for a moment before he tightened his grip on the railing.

You frowned. You had assumed that Izzy, as abrasive as he usually was, wouldn't want a hug, but maybe you were wrong? Has Izzy ever gotten a hug? He might have just said that he didn’t need one but he really seemed like he did.

You decided to keep trying. “Do you want a hug?” You offered softly. “I mean, even if you don’t need one, if you could survive without one, it’s still nice.”

He stared, eyes narrowed and all but scrutinizing your face, as if he was waiting for you to withdraw the offer or reveal it all to be a joke. You met his gaze resolutely, trying to convey your genuineness as best you could. To really show him that you were a hundred percent serious, you held your arms out slightly.

You stood there watching him internally war with himself and doing your best to not lose your nerve. Then after a small eternity, he finally mumbled out a soft, “fine” and pushed away from the railing and just stared at you, hands hovering awkwardly as he didn’t seem to know how to reach out.

Beaming, you gently pulled him into your arms, wrapping your arms comfortably around him and resting your head on his shoulder. He held his arms in the air awkwardly, seemingly unsure if he could touch you, tense. “You can hug me too.” You whispered and you felt him shiver when your breath tickled his neck and ear. He gently dropped his hands onto your back and stilled.

You could still feel how tense he was and you immediately started doubting yourself. Maybe he didn’t want a hug after all. You loosened your hold, planning on moving to step back and get out of his space, when you were stopped by suddenly getting pulled tightly into him as Izzy fully hugged you and buried his face in your shoulder.

He was trembling. Your heart ached, you held him tightly in return, rubbing his back comfortingly. He seemed to melt into your arms, leaning against you more than you’d expected. Luckily you managed to maneuver the two of you into a much more comfortable kneeling position on the deck before you both fell over. You sat on the deck with Izzy practically in your lap.

His shaking hadn’t subsided and a strained painful keen was pulled from his lungs as he desperately clung to you. You felt your shoulder dampening slightly and realized that he was crying. You moved slightly to be able to run your fingers through his hair as you whispered softly, “It’s alright. I’ve got you. Everything’s alright.”

That only seemed to make him cry harder. But you figured it would probably be for the best. It’s probably better for him to get it all out of his system. You were sure the poor man hadn’t had a good cry any time recently. So you just sat there on the deck with the first mate in your arms and did your best to soothe him with gentle words and soft hands on his back.

Eventually he stopped crying head still buried in your shoulder. Even still you kept hugging him, rubbing his back and gently mumbling sweet words. He didn’t push you away and you doubted you’d have the strength to let him go.

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

Fuck.

Izzy couldn’t believe it.

How did he manage to fuck up this badly?

He had no idea what he should do.

He was used to being hated. But at the very least, on Queen Anne, they feared or respected him. Here, on this fucking ship, no one feared him (they knew as well as he did that the captains wouldn’t let him do anything to them) and no one respected him either. Except for you. You had been the only person on this ship that actually respected him.

Or at least you did.

No way you’d have any respect left for him after this. He couldn’t even blame you. Who could respect him when he was crying in your arms? You barely needed him anymore. You’d gotten much more comfortable taking charge and the crew actually listened to you, actually liked you. Not that he could blame them for that, you were impossible not to like (he’d know, since he’d tried).

You didn’t need him.

You didn’t like him.

And now, since he was being so horribly pathetic, you didn’t even respect him.

Izzy tried to tell himself that it was fine. He didn’t need your companionship. He would be fine going back to how everything used to be. He’d be fine alone and without your stupid conversations during night watch and your stupid laugh and your stupid tea and your stupid comforting words and your stupid warm embrace and fuck-

He had no idea what to do. Attacking was out of the question. The crew liked you much more than him and they sure wouldn’t give him the benefit of the doubt if anything happened to you (that was the only reason he didn’t try to attack you, it had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn’t stand the thought of you being hurt much less by himself). Running would've been equally pointless.

Izzy decided that since his dignity was dead and gone already, he’d savor this. The (probably) first and (definitely) last hug he’d get in his miserable life, so fuck he’d enjoy it. He buried his face into your shoulder and clung on tightly, the movement making him aware of how he was practically sitting in your lap.

You kept rubbing his back gently and still saying all those gentle things (mockingly, it had to be, he had no idea what to do if it wasn’t mockery). Izzy wanted to delay the inevitable and hide in your arms forever but the looming threat of one of the crew finding him like this forced him to push away from you. He pushed away from you so hard that he fell as he tried to clamber up to his feet, landing gracelessly on his ass.

You stayed where you were and just smiled. “Do you feel better?” You asked, voice just as soft as your arms had been.

Izzy heaved a breath then spoke, hating how his voice shook. “What do you want?” If the crew saw this the mockery would be so much worse. At least if it was just you he could try and bargain for you to keep this secret…

You furrowed your brow, like you didn’t hold his reputation in your hands. “What?”

He resisted the urge to growl at you for toying with him. “What do you want from me to not tell the crew about this?” He honestly had no idea what kind of thing you’d ask for. If it were any other crew member, they would probably ask to get out of chores, but you didn’t seem to mind them, so he had no idea what you’d want.

“Oh, I won’t tell the crew if you don’t want me to.” You said it so simply. He narrowed his eyes. “I’m serious!” You defended yourself. “As far as the rest of the crew, hell, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, we had a totally normal night watch.”

“Why?” The word escaped his lips before he could think about it too much.

“If you don’t want me to tell anyone, then I won’t.” You finally pulled yourself off of the ground and held out a hand to him to help him get to his feet. “Promise!” Izzy took your hand, trying very hard not to think about how soft you were (or about the fact that he actually trusted you).

“And if you want another hug, just say the word!”

“Fuck off,” Izzy snapped on reflex.

You shrugged it off, chuckling lightly. “Or maybe I should ask you to give me a hug sometime? Even if you don’t need them, I sure do.”

Izzy recognized what you were doing. You were giving him a way to ask for a hug without really asking. How stupidly thoughtful.

“Maybe I could be convinced to do that.” He mumbled.

Your smile could’ve lit up the entire night sky.

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

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kooabreen · 7 months

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AHHHHHGHGSGJS okay okay episode 6 and 7!!

izzy fucking singing??? french??? love songs, while ed and stede fuck nasty??? stellar 10/10 outstanding beautiful voice hes perfect and his makeup was beautiful

stede and izzy sharing a /look/ w each other at spanish jackie’s - ed saying izzy is just jealous after he walks in on them?!?! bruh i’m definitely feeling like izzy is gonna be involved - maybe a stede and izzy moment while ed is trying to be a fisherman lmao

the drag!!!! the way izzy looked in wee john’s mirror!!! the way izzy wasn’t even forced to dress up - he willingly put on a performance and loved doing it!!!! the support he had from everyone else watching!!! i’m just loving this sassy lil izzy arc - he’s perfect and beautiful

olu, archie, and jim all hugging and dancing together during calypso’s birthday is just 🥹🥹 also jim’s moustache and fit were just stellar!! the way jim and archie wanted to stay with olu, even if it meant changing ships 🥹🥹🥹

pete and lucius just fucking for a full 24 hours and more - the rest of the crew planned a party, bought supplies, etc etc etc while they were just getting it on

the sheer amount of knives lucius had in his hands - the panic as pete kept adding more to the pile

ed and stede hooking up!!! secretly sorta bummed they didn’t end up going slow (was really hoping for an ed specific episode focused on his growth and how he and stede learn to love again) but i did also outwardly squeal like i was in middle school again so loved it!! honestly an accurate portrayal of their relationship - the fact that it was ed who made the breakfast also!!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹

izzy knowing ed tossed his leathers, izzy knowing ed left stede, izzy giving stede advice ab ed, izzy approaching ed first, izzy wanting stede and ed to be together because they’re good for each other - izzy my love and absolute joy!!!

frenchie back at it with the scams lmaooo lucius forging signatures and wee john giving stede tattoos

roach coming up w mud face masks - also a king who knows his curl pattern

archie and jim are the best wingmen fr

#ofmd #ofmd spoilers #ofmd season 2 #ofmd 2 #ofmd s2

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chocolatepot · 2 years

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Some OFMD fic recs! Specifically, some works in progress that you should subscribe to for a periodic shot of joy in your inbox.

evermore, by vitruvianwatson (M, Ed/Stede, 13k and counting) - Written in two timelines, reunion and post-reunion, the former dark and angsty and the latter more cheery and sexy. Only four chapters so far and I am looking forward to more!

Chains of Love, by threerings (E, Ed/Stede, 20k and counting) - Technically only just a WIP, as there's only one chapter left to go. This is a rather dark reunion fic, kind of whumpy, particularly at the start: while on his way to a reunion, Stede gets captured and sold as a prisoner to Ed, who is still pretty angry. But they are Ed and Stede and so they come back together ...

Bark and Bite, by Fyre (M, Ed/Stede, 25k and counting) - An AU in which Ed is a vampire and Stede is a werewolf, but otherwise the rest of the plot/universe is the same. It is an adorable and fun reimagining of the show, and every time it updates is a treat.

passing ships, by astudyinrose (M, Ed/Stede, 23k and counting) - A more comprehensively AU'd AU, in which Stede was sent into the navy and eventually is captured by Ed. This adds an interesting social barrier between them, especially as Stede still doesn't know that Ed is Blackbeard!

If You Were Mine To Keep, by Pamplemousse (E, Ed/Stede, 28k and counting) - Another AU, this one even more alternate! Ed takes the Act of Grace much earlier and is put in an arranged marriage with Stede. I love arranged-marriage stories and I love the idea of Stede as a total neophyte on Ed's ship. Fortunately, there should still be 11 chapters to go!

How Edward Got His Groove Back, by MadHatter13 (M, Ed/Stede, Ed & Lucius, Ed & Jim, Ed & Frenchie, 43k and counting) - Reuuuuuuunion! It moves nice and slow, with plenty of time spent in Ed's perspective before he meets up with Stede again.

Aftercare, by perkynurples (E, Ed/Stede, 133k and counting) - Another reunion fic, this one starting pretty much from the moment of reunion, with a lot of plot involving other pirates and the navy and disguises. TBH, if you're reading this you're probably on the Aftercare train already as there are more hits than words on it, but I want to be thorough!

the knife and the throat, by darcylindbergh (E, Ed/Stede, 35k and counting) - Also a reunion fic. This one is deep and rather literary, IMO, and it goes in an unexpected direction. Not saying more!

The Only Hope For Me Is You, by Bexby (E, Ed/Stede and Ed/OMC non-con, 29k and counting) - Severely whumpy, read at your own peril. An admiral in the English navy takes Ed prisoner on his own ship, and Stede and the crew have to find him and get him back. Check the tags for specifics.

To Capture Every Minute, by hopeless_eccentric (T, Ed/Stede, Stede & Alma, Ed & Alma, 11k and counting) - Set several years post-canon, Ed and Stede find Alma stowing away on a ship they're raiding. And then they start planning their wedding!

Chiaroscuro, by MenaceAnon (T, Ed/Stede, Mary/Doug, Ed & Mary, Stede & Mary, 19k and counting) - Mary-centric. Ed and Stede have to pop into Mary's for a bit as Ed's wounded, but Stede has not persuaded Ed to forgive him yet. Mary's perspective on them is fresh and interesting!

Such Joie de Vivre, by louciferish (M, Ed/Stede, 43k and counting) - This is one I only just picked up. An AU in which Ed is a professional thief and comes to case Stede's mansion for a mysterious treasure, but gets hooked into being the kids' nanny. Rather fluffy and I am loving it!

#ofmd #our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #ofmd fanfic #fic recs #ofmd fic #ofmd fic recs #this would have been done hours ago if my CATS hadn't been AWFUL #continuously jumping on the table so that I will take them off it #and yell and get upset #fic rec #my recs

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adickaboutspoons · 7 months

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AH hahaha - oh @tvshowspoilers an excuse to ramble about costuming significance? Don't mind if I do, my v. dear.

So going from full gloves to half gloves is something that had me scratching my head too, especially since they were apparently so important to the Krakening that they got a close up during the magic girl transformation sequence. Twice.

From a Doylist perspective, it might just be that they forgot (like the way the Lighthouse painting and the Blackbeard lithograph carried so much narrative weight last season and now are conspicuous for their absence). But if we allow that it was a conscious decision, it’s helpful to look at what full vs. half-gloves represent. Full gloves represent Ed cutting himself off from human connection - the icy detachment of a man determined to wield control with an iron grip.

Half-gloves, then, represent a tentative willingness to reach out - to touch and be touched - but with a measure of protective cover in place. But whereas in the pre-Krakening, that manifested in Ed making healthy connections - bonding with the crew, allowing himself to become softer, and, of course, falling in love with Stede - in the post-Krakening era, Ed is still reaching out, but as a form of self-harm. It’s all a simulacrum of connection, but specifically engineered to alienate and isolate Ed, and drive the crew’s resentment and fear to eventually culminate in murderous intent. He technically offers the crew sustenance in the form of cake, but it’s not something that would actually nourish them - stimulation in the form of rhino horn and raids, but it’s nothing like enrichment - communication, but only in the form of intimidation. And it’s not just the crew - in a way, Ed is also reaching out to Ned in another bid of passive suicidality - breaking his consecutive raid record while knowing that Ned’s a torturing psychopath in an attempt to goad him into painful and lethal retaliation.

But then we also get no-gloves! The times when Ed is open and unguarded or longing for a genuine connection. We see it in the first season at the French Party Boat where the way to “win” the interaction is by enticing the toffs to find him charming, but ultimately, the real connection he craves happens later with Stede in the moonlight, and then again on the beach when he confesses that Stede makes him happy and kisses him. With the second season, we see it as soon as Ed has recovered from his suicide attempt. In fact, the scene with the bunny goes out of its way to draw our attention to Ed’s bare hands. After being exiled, he is SO desperate for connection, ANY connection, that he latches on to the very first living creature he stumbles across. When the rabbit is so cruelly snatched away, he immediately latches on to Mary and then Annie, even knowing that they are kind of psychos and maybe not the most secure social safety net. But ultimately, it’s once again Stede who offers genuine connection. From then on, Ed is without gloves for the rest of the season, even after he re-dons his Blackbeard leathers.

With the loss of the cravat, I think kind of the opposite is going on. Obviously they remembered it, or they wouldn’t have brought it back just for Ed to put it on when he expected to die. So its removal had to be a conscious choice. Because, the cravat is positively overflowing with tasty symbolism - it’s the one of the extremely few things of Stede’s that Ed conspicuously chooses to keep and therefore a reminder of the man himself, but during the Kraken transformation, I think Ed keeps it on because it’s a PAINFUL reminder; an albatross around his neck - a noose to steal his very breath. But ultimately, even a painful reminder is a reminder, and he can’t control whether it might sometimes also bring him comfort. So, I think in this case, what we’re looking at is denial as a form of self-harm. We see from his reaction to Izzy in 2x1 that Ed won’t tolerate even oblique references to Stede (“As a crew?”). I think this is indicative of his more generalized approach to the idea - refusing to allow himself (or anyone else) to dwell on Stede. So when we see him dwelling with his dollies, I think that’s the turning point - Ed tipping them overboard is his him making up his mind; a lover’s suicide. And THAT’S why he allows himself to put the cravat back on when he steers them into the storm.

Once he’s reunited with Stede, obviously he doesn’t need a reminder anymore - the man himself is right there. So Ed can let go of the of the negative connotations that go along with the cravat - no more albatross. Just Stede.

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd s2 spoilers

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lightninginapuddle · 6 months

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Recently, I've been thinking about how OFMD has similarities to sitcoms. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone use the word sitcom to describe this show really, but I feel they borrow some elements of it without fully leaning into it. If we look at the show through a sitcom lens there are some interesting things we can see. Possibly?

A sitcom usually functions with the same characters who always have specific traits, and those characters go through short journeys during an episode, usually learning a lesson, before they go back to the status quo at the end of the episode. In a sitcom, characters aren’t allowed to grow. It's basically its number one rule.

Some of the signs of sitcoms in OFMD can be seen in the symbolism within most of the characters’ outfits. Apart from Stede, they very rarely change their outfits when they are on the ship, no matter the episode, and only wear something else when they leave the Revenge (i.e when they go on a journey).

The threat of the British lingers all season, but episodically the characters go on self-contained journeys that will progress relationships but won’t really change them or the status quo (whether the one we get used to at first, or the one from pirates outside of the Revenge). We see character development but not necessarily character growth.

For example, Jim in episode 4 is under a lot of scrutiny from the other crewmember who don't know how to view them anymore. They get asked questions after questions until they snap and tell them to "keep calling them Jim because nothing changed". In a way, even if the others took most of the episode to understand them, Jim is still Jim, and like Jim, the status quo hasn't changed. They were Jim before, and they're still Jim now. It's really fascinating to me how using sitcoms structures worked in tandem with Jim in this episode.

One character in particular acts as a sort of enforcer (or symbol) of the sitcom status quo: Izzy.

Izzy tries to manage everyone around him, his own boss and the rest of the crew. He sees Ed’s recent transformation (now a "shell of a man posing as Blackbeard") as a terrible thing and refuses to see him change even more. The crew not acting (and obeying him) like real pirates will not be tolerated either as he sees them failing to conform to what pirates are supposed to be. It’s a change from the status quo that Izzy is familiar and comfortable with, and he doesn’t like it one bit.

Remember, characters can’t grow in sitcoms, changing is not allowed.

All of Izzy’s attempts to keep the status quo get increasingly more violent and dangerous. To him, the problem is Stede who he views as the driving force threatening the status quo, with his management style, creative view of piracy and for what he did to his "boss's brain".

At first he lies to Ed about Stede telling him to piss off. Then he tries to kill Stede. When that fails, he conspires with Jackie and the British. By the end of season 1, despite Stede’s disappearance, the status quo is still shattering before his eyes because Ed is still changing. But now, he isn't only depressed, singing break-up songs and organising talent show, he is also physically changing, drapping himself in pink robes. So Izzy threatens to kill him, tries one last time to force Ed back to the status quo.

And Ed punishes him for it and goes right back to being Blackbeard. And Izzy is happy, because the status quo has been preserved.

But what Izzy failed to realize then is that all his schemes didn’t matter, he was always too late. Change had started happening before Ed even met Stede, because Ed was already changing and nothing Izzy did could stop this. And just like that, the show goes against the number one rule of sitcoms.

(side note The show still borrows sitcom elements in season 2 (mostly with the self-contained stories, like the curse suit or Ned Lowe, though this one does have repercussion in episode 7), but the status quo of season 1 is completely shattered and they never get to a point of creating a new one. We could argue it's actually even more broken by the end of season 2, with Izzy gone, Ed and Stede staying behind to build their Inn, the Crew off on the new Revenge and the Republic of Pirates destroyed.)

And Izzy realizes his failure to maintain the status quo by the beginning of season 2. What he expected didn’t happen, because Ed changed and he's not playing along and being the Blackbeard Izzy wanted him to be. This is Blackbeard, he looks like Blackbeard, acts like Blackbeard, talks like Blackbeard but this isn't like before. This one is more dangerous, more unpredictable than ever and it's now affecting the crew. This isn't the status quo, not really. Ed is on a rampage with one self-destructive goal in mind, and Izzy himself will help put an end to Blackbeard and at the same time the status quo, something he desperately clung to once upon a time, by shooting him.

Sitcoms put their characters in often uncomfortable situations where they have to confront some of their flaws. Ofmd does that to some degree, but also pushes its characters to the point where change happens in response to really difficult situations. Lucius is pushed off the ship by Blackbeard and subsequently lives through some really traumatic times that forces him to change, to become harsher, angrier. Jim's thirst for vengeance leaves them by the end of season 1, and they grow so tired of violence after being forced to work for Blackbeard, they shed this side of them to protect and uplift others (Fang, Archie) become caring when once they used to hide every part of themselves from others.

Izzy himself, symbol of the status quo, cannot hold it together anymore either. Because he loses his leg and it changes him because it changes the perception he has of himself. He says so when he looks in the mirror, wondering who he is. He pushes back at first, lashing out, he rejects the change, rejects this new reality. Until he sees the new leg the crew made for him. It might not be the leg he had before, but there is no going back to the Izzy from the past. That Izzy was alone, the new one maybe could not be. Thus starts his own transformation, effectively embracing the change and letting go of the status quo.

Meanwhile, Ed learns the same lesson, because Buttons turned into a bird in front of him, hitting us over the head that in this show, even if we borrow from sitcoms ... People can change, they should be allowed to, and they do.

#ofmd #i don't even know what this is #I've been on this for a while and I'm not sure it makes any sense anymore #maybe it didn't to begin with #ofmd meta #might come back to it at some point because I had more to say #but didn’t have the brain power and the post was already long

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sky-fire-forever · 4 months

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So I'm coming up with thoughts about Leon's relationship with the rest of the crew and I'm specifically interested in his relationship with Ed

Ed was his captain for years. Leon respected him since he was young, jumping from ship to ship and sailing under captain after captain, hearing stories of the legendary Blackbeard. He'd even sailed with Calico Jack, who claimed to be an old friend of his, though Leon never actually believed him

Sailing under Ed wasn't what Leon had expected. Ed was so much different than he thought he'd be, with more of a relaxed attitude most of the time and with more erratic mood swings. Stories were told of the violence, but not of the periods of depression and isolation where he'd disappear for days or weeks and the crew would wonder if Izzy told the truth when he claimed their captain was still alive

But Ed kept them alive. His reputation often kept them safe. So Leon kept his head down and followed orders

Then... Stede. And it's like Blackbeard is an entirely different man. He jokes freely. He does ridiculous things like dress up to go to fancy parties. Izzy keeps saying Ed's going to kill Stede, but when Leon looks at Ed, he sees him happier than he's ever been

Leon's respect for Ed grows. He sees him as more of a human being, as an equal instead of a mythical captain. Leon's drank with Ed before, has talked with him as casually as he could as a subordinate, has even slept with him once or twice. But on The Revenge, he finally feels like he's getting to KNOW him

But then. The Kraken

And Leon never forgives him for that.

#oc: leon mcintyre #edward teach #ofmd #our flag means death #queue-no steel

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collinrobinsonsglasses · 4 months

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anon since this is my first time doing this but i’m fucking devastated after the news. i have a weirdly specific scenario in mind with izzy x gn reader where reader panics/overloads sometimes if the crew get too loud tg or unexpected canon fire etc but is usually able to hide it from the crew. maybe they’ve been stressed or on edge lately and they kinda shutdown infront of the crew. and izzy comes over annoyed at first but when he sees reader not responding he takes charge and emotional hurt/comfort essentially. idk if this is too formulaic so take creative liberty!

Izzy Hands x Reader (GN)

Masterlist

I loved this suggestion, and I hope it was what you're looking for. This is a shorter one. Lots of fluff and Izzy comfort.

Silence is Golden

This week on The Revenge felt like the longest and most exhausting since you first set sail with Stede Bonnet. The crew battled through multiple storms, tirelessly navigating the turbulent seas, constantly soaked to the bone. You had always been more sensitive than your crewmates. The sound of cannon fire made you want to seek refuge below deck, the sensation of your soaked clothes clinging to your skin felt unbearable, and it was impossible to ever get a moment alone on such a small ship. While you imagined that everyone experienced these feelings to some extent, for you, it often felt overwhelming. You had never shared this with anyone, striving to fit in and appear as a capable pirate. However, after this demanding week, everything began to weigh heavily on you.

For that reason, relief washed over you when Captain Bonnet proposed that everyone take a vacation, emphasizing the importance of leisure. You yearned for some solitude, a chance to gaze at the waves and unwind for the first time in a week. Your hopes were swiftly dashed when Frenchie and Wee John enthusiastically began playing with the explosives. Realizing it was their vacation too, you silently moved further down the beach, not wanting to complain and spoil their fun. The explosions reverberated, rattling your head, and your body urged you to flee from the deafening sound. However, you found yourself sitting on a rock further down the beach, attempting to coax yourself into calming down. Perched on the rock, your right leg shook, fingers gently tracing the contours of a shell you discovered on the beach, all the while yearning for the explosions to cease.

To add to everything, Buttons joined you on your rock, enthusiastically listing off every sea animal imaginable. At this point, you experienced a mental shutdown, unable to escape the sensory overload – it felt as if your brain had flicked a switch off. The following hours slipped away rapidly, leaving you in a dazed state that was far from relaxing. As everyone returned to the ship, preparing to set sail once more, exhaustion weighed heavily on you. Descending to sit on the stairs, you rested your head on your knees, not having the energy to help your crewmates on deck.

Realization hit you suddenly, as Izzy’s raised voice echoed in front of you, though the words remained indecipherable. Lifting your gaze towards him, you observed the frustration etched across his face before his words finally sharpened into focus.

“You’ve had an entire fucking day to do nothing,” Izzy sneered. “Get your ass to work. You’re acting like the rest of these lazy twats today.”

You fixed your gaze on Izzy as he addressed you, your heart quickening its pace. Bowing your head back onto your knees, you attempted to curl into a tighter ball, wishing in that moment to vanish. Izzy’s words resonated, and you couldn’t help but acknowledge the truth in them. The realization of your own laziness brought a pang of guilt washing over you. The entire day spent doing nothing hadn’t brought you peace, but instead left you feeling worse than before. In the past weeks, you had grown closer to Izzy, sensing he tolerated you more than others. Now, you feared this display might change the dynamic between you.

You felt the tender warmth of his hand as it gently scratched your head, his fingers moving through your hair in a soothing and affectionate manner. Then your arm was gently grasped, coaxing you to rise from your seated position. Placing both hands on the back of your shoulders, he guided you below deck and eventually to his cabin. Izzy’s unexpectedly gentle demeanor toward you caught you off guard; it wasn’t what you had expected.

“Sit there,” he instructed, gesturing to the small bed in the corner of his room. “I’ll be back once we’re sailing away from this stupid fucking island.”

The door closed, leaving you in solitude amid the quiet of Izzy’s cabin, comfortably seated on his bed. As you breathed in, the hush within Izzy’s quarters contrasted with the bustling activity above deck. Reclining on Izzy’s bed, you focused on your breath, and after a few minutes, a sense of relief gradually washed over you. It seemed like you hadn’t been alone for weeks, and you savorted the silence within the cabin. After a while, Izzy returned, his presence prompting you to sit back up on the edge of his bed as he stood before you. Contrary to Izzy’s typical expression of anger, you noticed concern on his face instead.

“What’s wrong?” Izzy inquired softly, kneeling down to meet your gaze.

“Just overwhelmed,” you whispered back, avoiding eye contact and feeling a twinge of embarrassment admitting this to one of the most renowned pirates in history. “Haven’t had decent sleep all week and the explosions were too loud. I sort of shut down. It’s stupid.”

Izzy joined you on his bed, and for a moment, he seemed to contemplate. Then, you felt his arm wrap around your shoulder. “It’s not stupid. Everyone needs peace and quiet sometimes. Especially being around these fucking idiots all of the time.”

“Pirates shouldn’t panic at the sound of cannon fire, Iz,” you replied, not convinced by his words.

“Pirates shouldn’t be afraid of spiders, yet Blackbeard is terrified of them. Anyone questioning your status as a pirate can fuck off. You’re one of the hardest working people on this crew,” Izzy retorted, his tone resolute. “That's why I like you.”

“Thanks, Izzy,” you replied quietly, a smile gracing your lips. You had always enjoyed Izzy’s company and sensed he had a stronger connection with you than with the others, so hearing him express that he liked you was nice. It didn’t appear to be an easy thing for him to admit. You reached down toward his hand, squeezing it for a moment. “I’m feeling better than before. Your room feels very safe.”

“You’re always welcome in here,” Izzy said, a hint of bashfulness in his tone. “If you're feeling overwhelmed or need a break, just tell me, and I’ll fuck off.”

“No, I don’t mind if you stay,” you whispered, a warm feeling spreading in your chest. “You feel very safe too.” Letting your head rest on Izzy’s shoulder, you noticed a smile stretching across his face from the corner of your eye. Both of you sat there for a while, absorbing the silence, enjoying each other’s close company.

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

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

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Here Be Sirens Part 6

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Read Here or on Ao3:

“What happened?” your question rang in your own ears.

It was simple really, the answer. You could put the pieces together if your mind would focus on anything but the sight of Israel, on the deck of the Revenge, caught up in a sturdy fishing net.

“Buttons caught a siren!” Black Pete announced. Yeah, that seemed to be the case.

“A mistake really. I think he got caught up in the fishing net,” Buttons admitted, once again seeming less fazed than the rest of the crew.

“When did we get a fishing net?” the Swede asked, inching a little closer to the trapped siren.

“When you all started needing to be fed,” Roach rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. He didn’t look away from the siren once, eyeing him up.

“I don’t think that’s the important part,” Jim sighed, shifting their weight onto their other foot.

“Jim is right…” Stede nodded, getting everyone's attention on him. Like everyone suddenly remembered that he was in charge.

“So, what are we to do with it, captain?” Wee John asked.

The captain floundered for a moment before looking to his first mate. “Well…Buttons, what would you suggest?”

“The only option seems to be to kill him,” Buttons stated, like it was nothing. Israel’s thrashing started up again, still hissing and baring his teeth at the crew.

“No!” You looked around to see who shouted before you realised that it was you, and everyone was looking at you. You cleared your throat, fumbling for other words. “I mean, you said he got caught up in the net. It was a mistake, he wasn’t trying to hurt us,” you reasoned.

“He could come back with more, take his revenge,” Frenchie worried. A sensible concern really, you felt a little bad for arguing the matter, but you were more informed on this specific case.

“Aye, that is why he must be dealt with,” Buttons agreed.

“There’s no other way?” you asked.

“We could cut his vocal cords but other sirens will figure it out soon enough,” Buttons nodded and the threat made Israel’s face drop with fear and sorrow, fighting against the netting harder. Unfortunately, the more he fought, the more caught up in it he got.

“No, we aren’t doing that,” you told them firmly, not even letting them entertain the option.

Everyone was looking at you again. You didn’t think you could keep the secret much longer.

“What do you suggest?” Stede asked, open to ideas.

“...let him go?” you suggested, weakly, already knowing they wouldn’t go for it.

“You know I don’t like resorting to violence but…Buttons says it’s our only option,” Stede appreciated your empathy, respected it, but he had to protect his ship and crew. In all fairness, this siren could be a threat to all of you.

“You’re not killing him, and you’re not maiming him either,” you put your foot down.

“Are you alright?” Lucius shuffled closer, placing a hand against your shoulder. “I don’t like it either but-”

“No,” you responded, firmly, not letting him finish. “No, you are not killing him.”

The weight of everyone staring was heavy, made you feel like you were drowning all over again. They appeared a little concerned, but mostly they were confused. You looked between them all, racking your brain for something to do, something to say. Your gaze turned to Israel, snarling and growling, but so clearly afraid. More vulnerable than when you had met him that first night, you just couldn’t let anything happen to him.

You took a breath, knowing you had no other option. “...I know him, he isn’t going to hurt any of you.”

“You…know him? The siren?” Lucius questioned, unsure if he had heard you right, wondering if you had hit your head at some point.

“Yes, I know him. I promise, he’s not a threat, as long as you don’t threaten him,” you needed to convince them.

“Pretty sure that ship has sailed,” Jim rolled their eyes.

“Please, please just trust me,” you pleaded with the crew, stepping out of the semi circle.

“You’re under a spell!” Frenchie accused, eyes wide with fear and worry.

“No, I’m not,” you insisted, reminding them that, “Buttons protected the ship, right? Sirens’ songs don’t work.”

As if he hadn’t been listening to a word anyone was saying, the Swede inched ever so slightly closer to the netted siren, poking his tail with a stick. God knows where he even found that.

“Stop that!” you huffed, finally pushing forward into the centre of the semicircle. You batted the Swede away, knocking the stick from his hand, before moving to Israel’s side. “You’re not touching him, okay?” your words came like a warning, only softening when you turned to face the siren, “I’m not going to let them touch you, I promise.”

Israel looked up at you consideringly before he began thrashing about again. “Israel, stop thrashing. You’re going to hurt yourself,” you dropped to your knees by his side, hovering your hands over him, willing him to calm down.

“They have to go through me first, yeah?” you promised him. “Plus, I made somebody a promise that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, remember? I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The siren didn’t take his eyes off of you, giving you a single small nod. Your hands shook as you carefully got to work untangling him from the fishing net, unsheathing your knife when you realised just how tangled up the thing was. You took out the blade slowly, making sure Israel didn’t feel threatened by it.

“Don’t cut him loose!” Frenchie yelped, clinging to Wee John’s arm.

“He won’t attack anyone,” you promised, only glancing over at Frenchie as you continued to work.

“Your funeral,” Roach shrugged, pretty confident he could fight the siren off if their songs didn’t work here.

You focused fully on the netting then. Untangling and cutting through it, ignoring the complaints about ruining the net, you were even sure who had made them. You were a little preoccupied.

You could see where the netting had dug into his skin as he fought against it, one of his wrists being wrapped up and rubbed raw with his frantic struggling.

“You’re going to be okay, I promise,” you whispered to him, hoping he knew that you would do whatever it took to get him back into the water safely. You saw his expression soften, though his body remained tense. His situation hadn’t changed, but he trusted you.

You gave Izzy a small smile before standing up and turning back to the crew. “Please trust me, everything is going to be fine, I’ll explain everything. Just…just trust me,” you knew you could get them to understand eventually, it was gaining their trust in this moment that would be difficult.

As you expected, the crew still looked unsure, looking between each other.

“They seem like they know what they’re talking about,” Jim shrugged. You could kiss them. The crew knew Jim was reasonable about most things, maybe they could convince them.

“You’re sure about this?” Lucius asked. He looked like he wanted to move towards you, but didn’t want to get any closer to the creature at your feet.

“I am,” you nodded, sounding certain.

Lucius shared a look with Pete. Whatever their silent conversation was, it must have been good. “Alright, okay,” Lucius looked back to you and Pete nodded hesitantly, taking hold of Lucius’ hand.

You turned to Frenchie with a sympathetic look. “Frenchie, I promise you, this is okay. Nobody’s going to get hurt.”

“You promise?” Frenchie asked. Wee John looked concerned too.

“I promise.”

“Okay,” Frenchie reluctantly agreed and it meant a lot that he trusted you with this.

“Captain?” you turned to Stede this time.

Stede blinked at you.

“Uh, well…Buttons?” he looked to his first mate.

Buttons stared at you blankly, his expression giving away nothing. “Give ‘em a chance,” he nodded, apparently pleased with whatever he saw in you.

“Very well, then,” Stede nodded, allowing you to do this way.

Feeling a little calmer now, you turned back to Israel and crouched by his side. You let out a small sigh, he was still watching you closely. “Hey, Iz, the crew are going to want to talk, do you think you could, uh…do the leg thing?” you waved your hand vaguely, not exactly sure what ‘the leg thing’ consisted of. You were unconscious when you last saw him with legs.

“I have no clothes,” Izzy muttered. Right, clothes aren’t part of the transformation, that made sense.

“Stede, uh…could we maybe borrow a shirt and a pair of pants?” you asked.

“I suppose,” Stede nodded, seeming a little confused, and in way over his head. Still, he hurried off to his cabin.

“Nothing flashy!” you called after him. “Neutral tones!” You didn’t want Izzy being more uncomfortable than he already was.

While waiting for Stede to bring the clothes, the crew watched as you finished removing the last of the netting from his body, pushing it far to the side. They watched as you whispered to him, calming reassurances that they couldn’t hear, they could only make out the tone. Soft, caring, loving even. The siren was clearly responding to your soothing, relaxing. He didn’t snarl or hiss at you, he didn’t even glare at you.

Soon enough, Stede returned with some clothes, handing them to you. You placed the clothes down on the deck and stood up again. “Alright, everyone off deck, give the man some privacy,” you ordered. They all looked between each other again, unsure. “He won’t leave until we’ve talked. We’ll meet you in the galley, okay?”

The crew reluctantly agreed and slowly began to file down below decks. Buttons look at you for a moment before nodding, leaving with the rest of the crew.

“Iz, I’m so sorry about all of this,” you apologised, about to face him again before changing your mind. “I’ll, uh, give you a minute,” you kept your back to him, letting him change and pull on the clothes. However, that worked.

“Okay,” Izzy mumbled, giving you the signal it was okay.

You turned back to him, looking him up and down. He looked adorable in beige breeches that were too long for him and had to be cuffed at the ends. The white shirt too big and billowing on him, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“I’ve got you, okay? I won’t let them do anything, they just need me to explain everything.” You had trusted him about Edward, now he had to trust you about the crew.

“...I trust you,” Izzy nodded, just that nearly knocking the breath out of you. You knew how much that meant.

You cautiously took his hand and he let you, fingers laced together, before you led him down to the galley.

The sound of chatter fell silent as the two of you entered the galley. Everyone was sat at the table you took meals at, just watching.

“I’m just going to get something for your wrist,” you assured Israel quietly as you sat him down at the end of the table.

You were quick to grab a towel and some clean water before returning. Reaching the table again, the crew was watching Izzy like he might pounce at any moment. Izzy was watching them in a very similar way.

You sat down beside Israel, close enough that your knees touched. He made no protest as you took his arm and examined his wrist, cleaning the wound with your damp cloth. “Not as deep as I thought it was,” you muttered to yourself before wrapping the towel around his wrist and securing it for the time being.

The crew watched and stared but thankfully didn’t comment. The trashing and snarling creature they had surrounded up on the deck now looked like nothing more than a man. His hair wet and dripping, clothes damper than they should have been, letting you tend to his injury.

“I could look at that for you,” Roach offered. Israel instantly tenses, sinking into your side.

“I’ve got it, Roach. Thank you,” you gave him a tense smile. There was no way Izzy was going to let any of the crew near him, nevermind touch him. “You okay?” you asked the siren quietly. He just nodded.

You sighed, releasing his arm and letting him fold his hands in his lap, before you looked at the crew properly. “Alright…go on,” you gave them permission to ask their questions.

Everyone looked to Stede for some semblance of guidance. He was the captain after all. “Well, I suppose we could start with a name?” Stede suggested.

You looked to Izzy, letting him choose how they referred to him. You had already used his name in front of them but if he wanted to give a fake one, you would go along with it.

“Israel,” he bit out.

“Israel,” Stede repeated with a small nod, trying his best to act like this was normal. “And how about we start from the beginning then,” he seemed to have gained a little confidence in his questioning.

“I was on watch one night and I heard singing-”

“He put you under a spell!” Frenchie interrupted.

“No!” you huffed, even if it was a fair accusation. “He was trying to, I guess, but it didn’t work because of the protection charm or whatever that Buttons put on the ship. So, I went to see who was singing and he was just sitting on the railing,” you told them.

“And you became friends?” the Swede asked with an innocence you found weirdly endearing about the man.

“Uh, long story short, yeah,” you nodded. “I started taking the night shifts so I could take a dinghy out, meet with him. Just hang out for a bit, you know?”

“The storm?” Jim asked knowingly, putting the pieces together themself.

“He saved my life,” you confirmed. “The storm…I didn’t wash up on a beach, there were no fishermen. Israel saved me, fished me out of the water, took me somewhere safe and helped me get back to the ship. He wouldn’t do that if he only planned on killing me at some point,” you told them the truth.

“Well, uh…thank you, Israel, for bringing them back to us,” Stede’s politeness seemed to overcome his nerves.

“And then everything went back to normal. Meetings of a night and everything. He’s not planning to hurt any of you,” you shrugged. It really was the vaguest way to tell the story but it was all they needed to know. Israel found himself grateful that you didn’t mention Edward, worrying that would only cause more trouble.

Everyone looked to Buttons this time. “I believe them,” he nodded after a short but tense silence, “I had my suspicions since that first night.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” you stared at him with wide eyes. That was something you’d think he’d mention, at least question you about it.

“I was waiting to see if I was right,” Buttons shrugged, like it made perfect sense.

“And you still talked about killing him?!” you accused, anger rising. Izzy felt a tingling sensation run down his spine at your blatant protectiveness.

“I didn’t know if I was right, and I didn’t know if this was the same siren,” Buttons explained.

“...but you’re not going to hurt him now, right?” you asked cautiously.

“As long as he doesn’t hurt us,” Buttons assured you.

“Okay, good,” you nodded.

“It is rare for sirens to become attached to a human. There are tales, of course, but-” Buttons was cut off by Izzy’s growl. Just because he didn’t have a tail in that moment didn’t mean he couldn’t tear a throat out, didn’t mean the crew didn’t know he was still dangerous.

“I think that’s enough about that, Buttons,” you suggest as kindly as you could. Buttons just nodded in agreement and some level of understanding.

“I think it’s wonderful, two being from different worlds. Rather romantic, really, if you think about it.” Now Izzy was growling and baring his teeth at Stede, hands gripping the edge of the table with white knuckles.

You knew it was time to put an end to this conversation. Anything else they wanted to ask, they could ask you alone.

“Alright, Iz…let’s get you something to eat, who knows how long you were tangled up in that. Then we’ll send you on your way, okay?” you suggested, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

You felt Israel relax under your touch before he lent into your side to whisper, “Ed will be looking for me. I’ve been gone a long time.”

You nodded slightly, understanding why that was a concern. “A quick snack and you’ll be back in the water,” you promised and he nodded his agreement.

You stood from the table with another reassuring squeeze to his shoulder before slipping into the kitchen. You worked quickly, preparing some honey on crackers and a side of his favourite fruits.

You returned to his side, placing the plate down in front of him. Izzy picked at and ate the food in silence as the crew filed out, realising they were no longer welcome. Though, you did catch Roach muttering something about missing rations and disappearing honey. You would have to answer for that eventually.

“Thank you,” Izzy whispered. Things would have gone very differently if you weren't there, if you were willing to put yourself in danger for him. You couldn’t have been completely sure that your crew wouldn’t turn on you, that they wouldn’t think you were enchanted or betraying them in some way. And you did all of that for him.

“Anytime,” you smiled, reaching out to swipe your thumb over the corner of his mouth, wiping away some honey. He blushed when you sucked the honey from the side of your thumb, staring down at his plate.

Once Izzy was finished eating, you cleaned up and led him back up onto the deck. Izzy headed straight over to the railing, ignoring the crew and looking out over the water. You joined him, standing by his side.

“Is he here?” you asked quietly.

“Yeah…yeah, he’s here,” Israel nodded. You expected as much.

“We’ll take a dinghy out, you can meet up with him,” you told him and he just nodded.

When you turned around, the crew was already watching the two of you, of course. They could be nosey on the best of days, and this had certainly gotten their interest.

“Going to take a boat out, if that’s alright captain,” you left Izzy’s side, approaching Stede.

“Of course,” Stede permitted, suddenly realising that was a better idea than just letting the man/siren jump overboard.

Stede’s gaze flicked to Israel when he came up to your side. He lent in close, making sure nobody else would hear him. “Ed likes him.”

“Stede?” you whispered back, glancing at your captain to make sure he didn’t hear. He looked oblivious so you assumed he didn’t.

“Says he’s cute,” Israel turned his nose up at that thought, making you laugh.

You looked at Stede for a moment, he was rather interesting, you would give Edward that. You tried to picture them together, they might be quite cute actually, Stede would love learning all about sirens.

“He can come say hello,” you suggested quietly, instantly noticing how Izzy shifted nervously beside you. “Just an offer, now it’s safe. Whenever he wants, I’ll vouch for him,” you brushed your hand against his.

“He’ll take you up on that eventually,” Izzy warned.

“You’ll come too though, right?” you asked hopefully.

“‘Course,” Izzy smiled a little to himself, that little smile that made your heart beat faster against your ribcage.

“Everything okay?” Stede asked, feeling very left out of the conversation.

“Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry,” you shook your head, remembering that your captain was standing right in front of you both. “Ready to go?” you asked Izzy and he nodded.

Izzy helped you lower the dinghy, staying by the railing as you told the crew that you would be right back.

Just as you were about to climb over the railing, somebody grabbed your hand. Israel was pressed against your side in an instant, snarling at the perpetrator. Frenchie ripped his hand away from you and took a step back.

“It’s alright, Iz,” you assured him, realising that he had a protective, perhaps even possessive, side that you hadn’t properly seen yet. “What’s up, Frenchie?”

“Just…wanted to tell you to be careful, yeah?”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, I promise,” you assured the musician before climbing over the railing.

You and Israel climbed down into the dinghy before you rowed away from the Revenge, further than you usually would for the sake of Izzy’s privacy and comfort.

Once Israel assured you that you were far enough, you pulled the oars into the boat.

As Izzy started untying his shirt, Edward’s head popped up beside the boat. “Iz, you alright?” he asked, looking him over for any signs of harm.

“I’m fine, Ed,” Izzy huffed, like his friend’s concerns were unjustified. “Just a little humiliated. Your crew never had a fishing net out before,” he confessed, shooting you a small glare.

“Don’t think it’s usually left out overnight, I didn’t know. Sorry,” you apologised, cringing at the memory of him all tied up in the net.

“Not your fault,” he pulled his shirt off and handed it to you.

Edward was watching you now as you folded the shirt in your lap, you couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to him, I promise,” you reminded him.

“I know. I believe you,” Edward nodded firmly, his gaze softening. He looked somewhat fond of you, maybe just appreciative for your help.

“Izzy, you uh…could visit any time now, I guess. The crew won’t mind, they just need some time to relax and process,” you told him, but you were sure that he wouldn’t be eager to take you up on that offer. “And, Edward, you could come too. Maybe meet the captain?” you suggested.

“Yeah?” Edward asked, his face lighting up.

“We are not visiting,” Izzy said sternly, as if he didn’t already know he was going to lose this battle.

“Not with that attitude we’re not,” Ed grinned.

“Ed,” Izzy whined, a little petulantly he’d admit.

“You’re both always welcome as my guests,” you assured them, ready to welcome them at any time.

“Alright, fine, whatever,” Izzy rolled his eyes, knowing he couldn’t put up much of a fight against the two of you even if it was just common sense to not mingle with humans. He supposed they already crossed that line though, and he couldn’t say no to either of you. So, this was going to happen at some point.

“Now, do you mind,” Izzy gestured to his pants.

“Yeah, right, sorry,” you covered your eyes politely.

You felt the boat rock with his movements, heard the shuffling of material before something landed in your lap followed by the sound of water splashing.

You uncovered your eyes, smiling down at the two sirens in the water. “Until next time, gents,” you said your goodbyes. They both nodded, giving you smiles of their own.

You rowed back to the ship, knowing you were bound to get more questions about this whole thing.

“I like them,” Edward smirked, one of his tentacles knocking against Izzy’s tail. Izzy just sighed. “They’re good. We should go visit them,” he decided.

“And their captain?” Izzy asked knowingly.

“I mean…if he just so happens to be there too,” Edward shrugged. When the other siren didn’t respond, he looked at him. “Please, Iz,” he whined, batting his lashes, giving him the best puppy dog eyes he could muster.

“Fine!”

Oluwande was at the railing when you returned, helping you climb back into the ship and raise the dinghy back up. “Exciting morning,” he mused once the dinghy was secured.

You laughed tiredly to yourself, your lack of sleep catching up with you. “You okay?” you asked.

“Freaked out a little, but you trust him and we trust you,” Oluwande confessed with a small smile, always reassuring.

“Yeah…I mean, I was kinda freaked out too. I mean, I didn’t even really know sirens existed until I met him. Not all the stories are true though,” you admitted. Though your curiosity and awe had overwhelmed your fear that night, which you were beyond thankful for now.

“They eat people?” Olu asked.

“...yeah,” you sighed, quickly adding, “not us though.” Oluwande just nodded, looking a little amused. “But I mean…they’re just as afraid of humans as we are of them.” He seemed even more convinced by that.

It was then that Lucius came up to your other side. “I see the appeal,” he commented with a suggestive tone. You just raised an eyebrow at him, Oluwande already chuckling to himself. “He gave you this?” Lucius poked the pearl hanging from your neck, smirking at you.

“Yes, now fuck off,” you huffed, slapping Lucius’ hand away as he laughed.

“It’s sweet!” Lucius insisted. “A forbidden romance,” he added wistfully.

“I will let him eat you,” you threatened, only making Lucius laugh more.

“Now, I have to return these to the captain,” you huffed, grabbing the folded up shirt and pants, leaving Lucius and Olu to talk between themselves.

The crew wasn’t so shaken up by the whole thing anymore, which certainly meant you were going to be teased for your budding romance. Thankfully, Israel was worth it.

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

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