Work Text:
“Your sentence is…death. By firing squad.”
“We’ll find a way out of this, okay?”
“Ed no.”
“We’ll come up with a plan.”
“No, I deserve this. At some point in a man’s life, he has to face the music for the things he’s done and the people he’s hurt. It's time Ed. The bill has come due.”
Ed couldn’t really process anything at that moment. Why would…how could Stede just give up? Wasn’t what they had worth fighting for?
He knew he was being unfair. His co-captain was just sentenced to death. And all he could think about was his desire to reach out, tuck him against his chest, and run away. About his desire to surge forward and press their lips together.
About how unfair it was on him that Stede Bonnet was about to die.
He had to focus on this. Because if he, for only one second, let himself think of how unfair it was to Stede he would combust. Cease to exist, overwhelmed with an aching heart.
While he was manhandled by some British twats towards Izzy ( traitortraitortraitor) he could see someone put a blindfold around Stede’s eyes, guiding him to the railing.
He had to do something, he had to.
The riffles cocked and he could feel the panic rise up in his chest, pure unadulterated fear was running through his veins.
“Oh God. I don’t want to die. Oh please.”
Any other man would have at least tried to pretend to not be bothered by this, but not his Stede. No, he was too honest, too raw, too…perfect.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Izzy seizing him, his reaction.
“You know this is the best way to end this right? The only-” Before Izzy could finish his sentence Edward tried to surge forward.
“Riffles at the ready!”
“Oh God.”
Edward had to get there on time, had to be with him. But before he could get any further, he felt strong arms wrap around him, holding him in place. “Sorry boss, can’t let you do that. Edward was a volcano about to erupt. Ivan was holding him in place, being well aware of the goal his captain had had in mind.
“Ivan let go of me.”
“Aim!”
“Oh shit.”
“NOW!”
He demanded, voice booming across the deck. Even the British paused for a moment. “Act-” But before Edward can call it out a hand flew in front of his mouth. “Sorry boss, really, really sorry.”
“Fire!”
Edward could not avert his eyes as the bullets went through his co-captains body. Shrieks, gasps, and sobs flared up around the ship.
With all his might he bit into Ivan’s hand until he tasted blood. While the man was distracted Blackbeard grabbed his knife and aimed it straight at his throat.
He couldn’t process Izzy and Fang yelling at him.
Or the shocked gasps from both the British and the crew of the Revenge.
He didn't process Ivan’s gurgling sounds as blood and life left his body.
He just rushed to Stede.
Stede who was still, yet barely, breathing, Stede whose eyes found his.
Stede, who smiled when he saw him.
“No, no, no, come on Stede.” He whimpered.
Blackbeard whimpered.
“Please stay with me, Stede, please you make me happy please.”
Stede’s smile grew a bit brighter at that.
“You.” He gasped shuddering breath. “Make Stede happy.”
Edward couldn’t hold himself back, he surged forward for his lips to finally connect with Stede’s. He could feel the other man’s surprise, but also the faint press of lips against his. He wanted to live and die in this singular moment, the soft pressure of Stede’s lips against his own, the frail attempt at recuperating the kiss. The unsaid “I love you.” between the two of them.
Edward kept his lips locked onto Stede’s before finally, Stede took one last breath through his nose. The latter withdrew his lips from his dead lover’s only after a moment. He glanced into these beautiful eyes for one last time, before he carefully closed the lids.
During the whole ordeal, nobody had moved.
The British were shocked at the wanton display of homosexuality.
The crew of the Revenge, still in shock over the death of their captain.
Izzy and Fang, overwhelmed by Ivan’s death.
As Blackbeard rose from his kneeling position next to his lover's body he had already drawn the pistol, aiming at the British man who sentenced his Stede to death. Before anyone could move he had fired, the bullet going straight through his skull, leaving a mess of bone and brain to leave together with the bullet. He was well aware that he was more than outnumbered. He just couldn’t bring himself to care.
The fight that ensued was bloody.
More so than anything Blackbeard could ever remember doing, initiating, or participating in. Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. His sword took the payment for Stede’s death, morsel by morsel, drop by drop. The crew of the Revenge had gotten the memo and started (tried) to maim and incapacitate the British surrounding him. Still in shock, they worked better than Blackbeard would have ever anticipated. He did not glance in Izzy’s or Fang’s direction.
He would take care of them later.
Three ships worth of the British navy turned out not to stand the wrath of a grieving Blackbeard.
When all was said and done, the deck of the Revenge was stained with blood. The crew of the Revenge was primarily unharmed, with Roach having suffered a non-lethal stab wound to his left side.
As the last officer fell, Blackbeard turned around to them. He gauged their state and deemed them fit to take care of themselves.
“You are under my command. Take the traitor to the brig.”
Without another word or glance, Blackbeard went over to Stede’s corpse ( deaddeaddead) , picked him up, and walked towards their his quarters
He tried to pretend that Stede was just sleeping. Just another late night, which had led to him falling asleep and Edward caring him to their his quarters. Stede wasn’t dead. Just asleep.
From behind him, he could hear Izzy’s yelling, but he found he couldn’t care. Izzy had it coming whatever he had coming. If the crew took care of him, it would be a blessing the man.
Izzy was not ready to face the Kraken.
But he would.
“I’m sorry my love,” Edward whispered as he laid down Stede in their his bed. He could feel a singular tear fall down his cheek.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” Another tear sneaked itself onto his face. “I wanted to save you. Us. Act of grace. Would have served the fucking king and lived. But we would have lived. Together.”
More tears started to fall from Edward’s face.
After a while, he could start to feel Stede’s body cool down. The last bit of warmth of his love was leaving the world, and the last bit of warmth in Edward’s heart was going with it.
“They will pay.” He swore.
When Blackbeard got up, he left Edward with his lover, with Stede. He knew the latter would need Edward. The ghost of who he could have been, passed away together with his love.
Outside the quarters Olu had been waiting. Blackbeard threw him a questioning look. “Deck is being swapped sir, Izzy and Fang are in the brig.” “Fang doesn't need to be there.” He could hear his own voice rough with tears and grief.
Olu, to Blackbeard’s gratitude, did not comment on it. “He wanted to be sir. Said it's what he deserved.” Blackbeard tsked and walked towards the brig, Olu right behind him.
The small room that had once been dupped the ballroom, was guarded by Pete and Wee John. Neither said anything at Blackbeard’s red-rimmed eyes or teary expression, just offered him small nods.
Once they opened the door he could see Izzy get up. “Captain I-” Izzy started. “Shut up.” He growled. Izzy did no such thing. “Edward this was the most humane way of handling it if you hadn’t lost it like a little lovesick-” Izzy couldn’t finish his sentence as Blackbeard had kicked him between the legs, strong enough for the other man to keel over. Fang had stayed sitting on the floor, looking sorry for himself and the whole wide world. It even looked like he had cried.
“Did you know any of this?” Blackbeard directed at him.
He was sure that Fang hadn’t known anything, but he needed to be sure. The other man just shook his head.
“Then get the fuck out of here, this is between and former first-mate Israel Hands.” A heavy silence hung over the small area this conversation occupied before Fang got up and walked away quickly. In the meantime, Izzy had more or less recovered from the blow and tried to get back up again.
“What are you gonna cry again? Over that twat?!” Izzy’s rage seemed almost feral at this point like he was daring Blackbeard to let the Kraken out.
Pity he hadn't realised that the Kraken was already there.
“And if I cried. What would you do about it Israel? Tell me to be a man about it? Like you have been? And where did that get you?” The Kraken knew he was taunting Izzy, but the bliss he experienced at the more and more distraught expression on Izzy’s face made him almost forget that he had buried his heart.
He threw a punch in the other man’s face, which once again landed Izzy on the floor. This time the Kraken kneeled down, pulling his trusty knife out of its sheath. “Did it hurt? Seeing me kiss a dead man’s lips rather than yours?” The Kraken whispered right into Izzy’s ears. While Izzy had been trying to regain his posture, he stilled at the Kraken’s words.
“Did it hurt to see me fall for a man who wasn’t you? A man, so far away from anything that you had fought for?”
He was still whispering, but the thread in his words was eminent.
“Edward I-” The Kraken brought the knife to Izzy’s face, swiftly cutting across his cheek. “Edward is dead Izzy. Edward died together with Stede.”
He smiled cruelly.
“You killed him. Not your hands, but your actions.” Another cut across Izzy’s face, which more and more morphed into a fearful expression. “You’re a traitor Israel Hands. And you will be tried as such.”
“Wha-” The Kraken grabbed Izzy by his hair and held him up by it. While the other man was already groaning in pain, it wasn’t enough. Would never be enough to quell the pain in Blackbear’s heart.
He took his knife to the Polaris star under his former first mate’s eye. “Just couldn’t let me happy when you were miserable couldn’t you huh.” It was more of a statement than a question as he started to cut out the tattoo.
He himself had given Izzy that tattoo, a sign of Izzy’s rank.
His trust in Izzy.
Now that he lost his rank, he would also lose the tattoo. Logic dictated.
“I won’t kill you now Iz, no. But you will stay in this miserable little room until the day you die.” While the other man was heaving in pain, tears brimming his eyes, the Kraken let go of his hair, causing him to once again fall down onto his bleeding face. “Edward-”
The Kraken screamed.
He turned around and started kicking Izzy, kicking onto his sternum, kicking into the ribs, and just kept kicking with his heavy boots and his heavy heart until he could hear a sickening crunch. He had kicked onto Izzy’s neck, which had assumed an unnatural angle. Izzy’s eyes were empty, having been granted a quicker death than Stede's.
A quicker death than he had deserved.
Without another word, the Kraken turned around and left. “Take care of this.” He grunted towards nobody specifically, but Pete and John both jumped into action as he turned to Olu. “I need some time alone. Raid the ships. Take whatever is edible and useful.”
Olu nodded and left.
A good man.
Maybe a new first mate.
Blackbeard realised that he would need someone he could trust. Not like Izzy.
Someone he could trust to have his best interest in mind.
He would need it.
A couple of days had gone into the land until Blackbeard reappeared on the deck of the Revenge.
Most of the crew was aboard, either cleaning or fulfilling other chores. “Lucius.” He spoke up. The boy scrambled to him. “Write down what I am about to share.” The scribe nodded and ran into the ship to grab his writing equipment. At his arrival on deck, an eerie silence had settled among the crew, which was only broken when the boy reemerged.
“We set course for the Republic of Pirates. To bury Ste- to bury your captain. After this, I will be quite frank, I will go and destroy every British fleet I can find. Anyone who isn’t on board with this is free to stay behind at the Republic of Pirates. Wouldnt’ blame you its gonna end in death quite quickly. But I will be damned to leave this godforsaken earth without,” He took a shuddering breath.
“…without Stede’s Revenge”