Chapter Text
Stede is not sure what woke him when he blinks his eyes open to a sky that is only just lighting up with the barest crack of dawn. It is hours before the time he and Ed usually get up. Movement in the corner of his eye catches his attention. He squints into the dark quarters with bleary eyes until his still-waking mind connect the person rummaging through the room to their activities last night.
“Izzy?” he whispers, careful not to wake Ed who has wrapped himself around Stede in his best Kraken fashion. The longer Stede stares into the shadows, the more shape they gain; enough for him to see their First Mate turns around at his quiet call.
“Captain,” he quietly acknowledges Stede, before turning back to pick something off the floor. Izzy looks oddly soft in the early light of day. He is completely naked, just as he was when they fell asleep. Stede does not remember ever seeing him so relaxed before, so at ease.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” Stede asks with as loud a whisper as he dares, wriggling one arm out of Ed’s embrace to push some hair out of his own face.
Izzy takes his time, slipping into his shirt, then his trousers and shoes before answering: “I’m doing my job. Someone’s gotta make sure this ship keeps running.” Stede watches him in silent admiration as he buttons up his waistcoat. There is not a single flick of the wrist out of place as Izzy gets dressed, right up to the way he slips the ring off his finger and onto the cravat before securing it with a knot.
The sword belt and glove come last.
The first beams of sunlight pour in through the windows as Izzy slips his hand into the black leather and wriggles his fingers. He stops then, just for a moment, closing his eyes as the golden light of morning falls onto his face.
It feels intimate.
Sacred.
It is over so fast that Stede would have missed it entirely, had he so much as blinked; a heartbeat later and Izzy is already turning away from the light and towards the door.
“Izzy,” Stede calls after him again and their First Mate stops with his hand resting on the doorknob.
“Captain?”
“Come back tonight. I want to take another look at those scratches, make sure they’re healing properly. Please.” Stede sees Izzy’s shoulders flex under the black fabric before dropping and starts smiling even before hearing his verbal affirmation.
“I’ll be there,” the First Mate promises with no venom in his voice, before slipping out and leaving Stede to fall back asleep.
“Whussat?” Ed blinks at his co-captain as the door closes behind Izzy. With the surge of affection Stede feels, he can do nothing but brush a strand of those salt-and-pepper curls out of Ed’s face and press a kiss to his forehead.
“Nothing, dearest. Go back to sleep.”
Ed does. Mere minutes later, so does Stede.
When Ed and Stede make their way out to the deck (after a very lazy morning in bed and a generous breakfast, leading to them leaving their quarters even later than usual) the ship looks pristine and Izzy is nowhere in sight – which is nothing out of the ordinary. At this time, he has usually already retired to the cabin he shares with Jim and Oluwande to sleep the day away before coming around again for the night’s watch.
What is out of the ordinary, however, is the way every person’s attention snaps to the co-captains as soon as they step out of their quarters – before looking away just as quickly. It reminds him of the crew’s reaction from those first few nights after he and Stede had been reunited and he curses quietly as he realizes what that means.
“What is it?” Stede asks under his breath and brushes his hand against Ed’s in wordless reassurance.
Ed exhales.
“Nothing serious, mate. Promise,” he replies with a smile that does not quite reach his eyes before making his way towards the bow of the ship, knowing Stede will follow.
Once Ed is certain they are both out of sight and earshot from the rest of the crew, he runs a hand through his hair and explains in a low, monotone rush: “We weren’t exactly subtle last night. And Izzy’s got a fucking cut on his face for all the world to see. Don’t think he and I are really that much of a secret anymore.”
Stede’s face falls.
“Do you think he’s okay with that?” The obvious concern in his voice warms Ed’s heart.
When Ed smiles this time, it softens his whole face. He steps closer to Stede, until he can feel the heat radiating off his lover, and gently places his hands on Stede’s jaw to pull him in for a languid, sweet kiss.
“Izzy’s gonna be fine,” Ed promises confidently. “He must have known this was a likely outcome to the three of us buggering. He’s usually better at foresight than I am. Or you, for that matter.”
Stede laughs a little, self-deprecatingly, and kisses Ed again before exhaling a small sigh while carding his fingers through Ed’s curls.
“You’re right. He wouldn’t have agreed to this if he hadn’t been aware of the possible consequences.” Another kiss. “But if the crew gets to be too much, tell me and I will have a word with them. I don’t want Izzy to feel uncomfortable just because they decide to jest about you two.”
“Not sure if Izzy would appreciate that,” Ed mumbles against Stede’s lips before burying his nose into Stede’s beard. “He can fight his own battles, y’know.”
“He can. But that doesn’t mean he has to.” Stede pulls away after kissing Ed one last time. He brushes his hands down Ed’s sides until they settle on Ed’s waist. “Let’s check on the crew and see where we’re headed. I would love to spend another day on the beach with you sometime soon.”
⭑✧⭑✧⭑
Izzy reappears when dusk is nearing, as is usual for him. He ignores the speculative glances of the crew as he makes his round through the ship, checking if everything is in order (it is).
They anchor the Royal James down for the night in the small bay of some unnamed island they have been getting closer to all afternoon. While the rest of the crew disappears down below for dinner, Izzy gets started with his exercises on the main deck. No one bats an eye – it is still more of the exception than the rule for the First Mate to join them during mealtimes.
Stede and Ed stand side-by-side on the bridge deck, watching Izzy go through his usual warm up before switching to basic drills. After a while, Ed joins his First Mate and the two of them switch from simple routines to a more elaborate dance. Not a proper duel – even Stede can see that – more of a lazy Sunday afternoon clash. Stede admires their form, finally getting better at recognizing the motions they go through after all the time he has spent training with Izzy.
Darkness sets in quickly after sunset, as is typical this close to the equator and the quick change drives Stede back to his own quarters. His eyes are no longer able to follow the arcs the blades cut through the air. Ed soon joins him, with Izzy in tow; before Stede can voice his surprise, their First Mate unceremoniously starts undressing while Ed begins stealing grapes from where Roach set their own dinner table earlier.
“What–”
“You wanted to take a look at the scratches,” Izzy interrupts him.
The First Mate is facing away from Stede while he puts his clothes on the sofa, so he cannot see the way Stede’s face lights up at his words – unlike Ed, who gives Stede a happy grin in return. The Blonde steps towards Izzy, already reaching out to touch the welts on Izzy’s naked back, but stops at Ed’s “I wouldn’t do that, love.”
Izzy whips around and violently twitches away from Stede’s close proximity.
“Sorry, sorry!” Stede hastens to reassure their First Mate before escaping to the bathroom to gather the salves he used the night before (and regain his dignity).
When he returns to the main chamber, Ed has moved over to Izzy and has a hand brushing his neck. They are quietly talking to each other but shift their gazes to Stede as he clears his throat.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, Izzy,” Stede apologizes. Izzy’s eyes flicker to Ed, who pulls his hand away before Izzy looks down, then back up at Stede and says, “It’s fine.” He runs a hand through his graying hair and somehow presses out, “You meant well.”
Stede gives him a soft smile and cautiously steps closer.
“You’re allowed to touch,” Izzy sighs exasperatedly before Stede even has a chance to ask. Ed cups their First Mate’s chin and kisses him chastely, with obvious pride. Stede puts all but one of the jars down on the sofa next to Izzy’s shirt and proceeds to unscrew the one he kept.
He checks the injuries quickly and tries not to let his touch linger. The scratches down Izzy’s back have scabbed over nicely and Stede leaves them with just a thin coating of salve, fairly confident they will not get infected. The previously rubbed raw patch of skin needs no attention at all, already barely visible against the expanse of his shoulder. The bite on Izzy’s neck, however, is another matter entirely; Stede’s only experience with bite wounds is Lucius’ finger, and that left him a little traumatized, so he fusses over the scabs and the dark bruise more than he probably needs.
Izzy lets him, his face still framed by Ed’s hands. They stand like breathing statues, oddly quiet and absorbed in each other.
Stede feels a sudden surge of want at their display of devotion and trust, the silent rapport Ed and Izzy share that comes from years upon years of learning each other and being each other’s closest confidant.
How a single touch, a single word from Ed is enough to enrapture Izzy so entirely that he lets a stranger, a man he barely seems to tolerate half of the time, touch him so intimately, let himself be seen so vulnerable around.
“Does your shoulder still hurt?” Stede asks, breaking the silence and watching the both of them startle out of their trance. Izzy blinks a few times before rolling the joint in question and shaking his head in quiet denial. He gives Ed another fleeting look before he turns towards Stede and gives the Blonde a chance to inspect the cuts on his chest and face.
They look… good, hardly requiring any attention at all. Stede simply dabs some ointment on the more pronounced scabs, automatically praising Izzy with a chipper, “There we go, all better now, well done!” as he finishes up.
Izzy’s breath hitches.
Their eyes meet.
“Thank you,” Izzy says and then turns away and shrugs back into his shirt as if nothing out of the ordinary just happened. Stede stares at his back, dumbfounded and wondering if he dreamt the last twenty or so seconds when Ed elbows Stede in the ribs with the giddiest of grins before letting himself fall onto the couch and looking up at Izzy.
“You gonna stick around tonight?” Ed asks, a smile still plastered across his face. Stede’s shoulders drop in relief at Izzy’s easy, “Might as well” and the quiet follow up of, “You want any help with your pipe?”
The crew is already assembled around the capstan when the three of them step out on the main deck. All eyes zone in on them, but Stede refuses to let himself be intimidated and simply gets comfortable on his little perch. Ed takes no time at all to claim his usual seat on the bale to Stede’s left, which the crew keeps dragging out for him. After a taunting look from Ed and an inviting little pat on the white cloth, Izzy sighs in defeat and sits down next to him.
Their sides press against each other, but Izzy’s posture stays rigid. With a movement that looks as unconscious as it looks fluid, Ed crosses his legs and switches his pipe from his left hand to his right. He uses his now-free arm to support himself while leaning back, just enough for their shoulders to stop bumping into each other. Stede sees the tension bleed out of Izzy as they exchange a handful of quiet words.
He cannot stop staring.
The sound of the whispers getting louder is what finally tears him away. Stede knows that giving his crew a stern glare now will just make him look like a hypocrite and decides that perhaps simply beginning to read will be enough to draw their attention away from his co-captain and their First Mate.
Stede opens his mouth to start an overly theatrical “Where were we?” but before he gets the chance to say a single word Izzy grouses, “Oh for fuck’s sake,” before he turns his upper body and pull Ed’s head down with his left hand, into a searing kiss – right there, out in the open. He pulls away just as quickly; a dagger has appeared in his right hand, pointing at Lucius with unerring accuracy.
“One word and I’ll cut out your tongue,” Izzy snarls and to Stede’s utter surprise, Lucius answers with a breathy, “Yes, Mr. Hands, Sir. Izzy, Sir,” instead of any of the taunting comebacks Stede expects. Lucius looks like he is having a field day.
For some reason, that exchange is enough to make the crew settle down and they all fall quiet, finally turning their attention to Stede.
It takes him a second to recover from his own surprise, but by the time he has that night’s chapter opened, he feels nothing but affection for his whole ragtag family. Before he begins reading, he steals a covert glance at Ed and Izzy and finds them leaning against each other, with Ed’s arm behind but not around Izzy and Izzy subtly turned towards Ed.
His co-captain catches his little look and smiles at him and Stede cannot help but smile back.
⭑✧⭑✧⭑
Stede has come to the (unexpectedly painful) realization that their night of joined intimacy and the subsequent days of making sure Izzy’s injuries heal without a hitch, have not actually changed the relationship he has with their First Mate. It only changed Stede’s perception of Izzy and the way Izzy behaves around Stede while Ed is there with them – or more accurately, how he behaves around Ed while Stede is there with them.
Stede does not know what he expected to happen. He is not naïve enough to believe he and Izzy will suddenly be confidants, bosom pals, or anything of the sort. But he sure thought it was going to be more than nothing.
Izzy still does not join them during the crew’s bedtime stories, unless Ed explicitly asks him to.
Neither does he come to the captains’ quarters during mealtimes, despite the standing invitation Stede has issued him.
Izzy and Stede still train sword fighting together, twice a week. Ed shares Izzy’s night watch in irregular intervals, as well – but he always climbs back into their shared bed before the sun comes up. Stede gets used to waking up to the press of a cold nose into the back of his neck and equally cold hands trying to warm themselves up on Stede’s sleep-soft skin.
This hope, this– this want of Izzy and him to become more comfortable together keeps playing on Stede’s mind; so intensely that during one of their training sessions, Izzy disarms him with a move Stede knows he should have been able to block. The tip of Izzy’s sword suddenly rests under Stede’s chin and their First Mate snarls, “Your form is fucking abysmal tonight, Bonnet. Where’s your fucking mind? Because it’s obviously not fucking here!”
Stede’s face falls. Izzy has not called him Bonnet in a while.
“Can we talk?” Stede asks as his shoulders slump down. He is suddenly glad that Ed called an early night tonight, after not getting in any sleep last night between staying up with Izzy and then waking Stede for some sweet lovemaking while the sun came up.
Izzy opens his mouth, but the angry glint in his eyes shifts to something else. Stede can see the exact moment where Izzy decides against playing stupid. He closes his mouth again and lowers the sword.
“Are you and Edward – okay?” Izzy asks. He looks utterly uncomfortable as he does, but both his tone and his eyes are full of earnest worry.
Stede’s mouth falls open and he nearly stumbles over his next words in his hurry to reassure the other man.
“What, no! We’re – we’re perfect, why would you even think–? This, this is not about Ed, Izzy, I promise.”
Izzy blinks rapidly.
“Why else would you want to talk to me?” he asks, bewildered. He continues speaking into Stede’s stunned silence, as if Izzy suddenly feels the need to fill it, confusion flickering over his expression, “If you had an issue with my performance or the way I work the crew, you’d have sent Edward to speak to me about it. I–”
“Izzy, I want us to be friends.”
Silence.
“Pirates don’t have friends.” It sounds automatic, rehearsed.
“That’s not true, though. And we both know it.” Stede takes a carefully measured step forward and reaches out with one hand, giving Izzy all the time in the world to avoid it.
He does not.
“You’re friends with Ivan and Fang,” Stede says softly, with his hand resting on Izzy’s shoulder. “You’ve got that weird rapport thing going on with Mr. Buttons. And you were friends with Ed before you became something more, were you not?”
Izzy does not answer. He just keeps staring at Stede with an expression somewhere between confused and lost.
“I don’t want you to feel the need to keep yourself away from Ed while I am in the room, too. I have quite come to enjoy your presence, actually.” He gives Izzy’s shoulder a gentle squeeze but Izzy keeps quiet. Stede continues, even though he knows he is starting to ramble.
“You and Ed, you are magnificent together. Like a single mind in two bodies! I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but I would like for us to get along better and I think Ed would love for you to come join us sometimes, for dinner, or, or a drink or just a chat really, and–”
“Captain–” Stede does not think that he will ever tire of the little thrill he gets from hearing Izzy address him as such – but this is not about that.
He steps closer and stands with both hands on Izzy’s shoulders.
“You could call me Stede.”
⭑✧⭑✧⭑
Izzy does not call him Stede yet.
However, he seems to have taken Stede’s offer of spending more time with Ed while Stede is around to heart – for two days later he knocks on the captains’ quarters while Ed and Stede are finishing breakfast, both dressed in their favorite silk gowns and nothing more. He hovers awkwardly in the door as he says, “We are going to run low on supplies, soon.” Ed and Stede exchange an unspeaking glance before Stede invites Izzy in.
Stede busies himself carrying their teapots over to the couch while exclaiming excitedly, “Sounds like we’ve got some planning to do!” Ed trails behind him; Stede sees his face soften at Stede’s enthusiasm while he gets comfortable on the soft cushions.
Stede turns back to Izzy, expression hopeful.
“I know it’s the end of your shift,” Stede starts, sitting down next to Ed, “but would you mind staying for a while longer and sharing your ideas with us, before you head to bed?”
Izzy looks to Ed and then back to Stede, before giving them a jerky nod and coming over to the settee. Stede slides to the side to make room for him, but Izzy ignores that. He just grabs one of the pillows and unceremoniously drops it on the floor, next to Ed’s stretched out legs, before sitting down. His head settles on Ed’s thigh and Ed’s hand tangles in Izzy’s hair as if it is the most natural thing to do.
The moment Izzy’s eyes flutter shut, Ed whips his head around to Stede, his eyes wide like saucers. He said yes! he mouths, every exaggerated enunciation visible on his clean-shaven face. Stede bites his lip to keep from laughing at Ed’s undulated joy.
“There’s a major trade line not two days’ east of here,” Izzy interrupts their silent celebrations, his eyes still closed. “Might be a good place to start looking for a resupply.”
“Hmh,” Ed agrees, sounding surprisingly normal for how giddy he had looked a moment ago. “Could be onto something there, Iz. What exactly are we looking for?”