Smitten at Sea (ao3 link)
Words: 1,758
Warnings: Stabbing/Injuries/Blood, Swearing/Language, little angsty, sexual tension
Relationships: Izzy x AFAB Reader
M/M, Israel Hands/Reader, Izzy/Reader, AFAB Reader, mentions of Stede/Ed
A/N - chapter two! apologies for the wait. also i didn't do a perfect spell check. i hope you guys enjoy the story :)
<3
Chapter Two: Hello, Old Friend.
“Alright crew! Good news,” Stede bellowed, gathering the crew’s attention. He hopped onto the quarterdeck and continued. “With the arrival of our new member and your ungodly complaints, we are reassigning duties for the ship.” A chorus of groans erupted from your mates. “In addition, Buttons here spotted a hefty looking ship on the horizon, headed straight for us. This is our chance to show em what we got! There will be death, and pillaging, and other serpentine pirate behavior.”
You waited sedentary on some stairs near the forecastle, watching Stede toddle around to instruct your fellow crew mates. You, the last of the crew to be assigned, pondered what job Stede would give you.
“Ah, the best for last,” Stede cheered with a grin. “Before I send you off, I was wondering what your skill set consists of?” You thought for a moment, recalling your past jobs and journeys.
“I’m good with knives… I’m quite skilled with a pencil, as well. I’m a decent pickpocket.” You paused. “I suppose any delicate work with my hands.”
“Well! That works out dandy, doesn’t it?” He patted your shoulder and waved at you to follow him.
“Roach here requested a cooking assistant. You’ll support him with whatever chores he needs; cutting, chopping, fetching utensils, and other chef-like duties.” Stede explained, gesturing to the kitchen. Roach, chopping away at some grub, glanced up and waved. You smiled in return.
Stede then led you to his own quarters. Before you towered shelves of beautiful books, more than you’d ever seen on a ship. Pirates you’d known weren’t literate or keen on augmenting a library. Your heart lit up.
“Behold! My cherished depository. Are you a reader?” He asked.
“Absolutely,” you marveled under your breath, allowing your fingertips to kiss the spines. You turned to him, with the passion of suns gleaming through your eyes. “May I?”
“Of course.” Stede grinned. “Be my guest! You’re welcome to peruse my collection at your leisure. Don’t be a stranger.”
Your hands slipped in between the leathers and papers, plucking a book from the shelves. Stede inhaled and brought his hands together. “Well! I will leave you to it. I’ll retrieve you when the time comes,” he gently touched your arm, “I’ll assign you a few more jobs later.”
The tussle of the curtains confirmed his leave. Your attention returned to the book. Flipping through the tattered paper, a loose page slipped out, a feather to the floor. You picked it up. The book featured a tawdry image of Blackbeard. Quite a poor depiction of him. The cries of the floorboards interrupted your inspection. You turned to search the curtains at the entrance. Hands crept into the library.
“So, you’re a fan of this tatty ol’ rubbish, huh?” He chafed, sauntering to your side.
“I relish an expertly crafted story. A good writer can conjure stories beyond your dreams,” you lauded. He hummed. You felt his breathing tighten up before he cautiously pressed himself to your side, curiously peering over your shoulder.
“Of course, but Bonnet’s…” He snaked his hand to examine the lone page. His fingers quivered.
“Do you recognize this?” You questioned. What about this drawing would bother Israel? Sure, the book pictured Blackbeard inaccurately, but nothing struck you as out of the ordinary.
“Just recalling better days.”
“Avast ye!” called Buttons from down the hall. Hands and you tensed up, closing any previous distance you held. “We’re approachin’ the enemy ship. Best you prepare to board the vessel.” Buttons retreated without a moment to waste. Hands cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. He promptly removed himself from your side.
“Follow me. Might as well show you how we, as pirates who’ve earned our titles, address these blokes, unlike your pathetic attempts at raids,” he jeered. You scoffed, returning the book to its home before trailing behind Hands.
You arrived on the main deck. The majority of the crew gathered around the capstan, eagerly awaiting instructions from their captains. Curiosity tugged at your thoughts. What kind of pirates or folks of the sea would you meet? These parts of the sea didn’t often receive new travelers.
“Alrighty then! Right on time,” Stede gleamed. Blackbeard clasped his hands together, leaning against the railings of the boat near the freshly prepared ladder.
“Ivan, Izzy, Fang, Y/N, Jim,” He announced, gesturing accordingly. “The five of you are with me. As for the rest of you, protect the ship. Keep watch, and be cautious. Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.”
“I’ve never had to consider crewmates in battle,” you confided in Fang under your breath. He smiled and leaned towards you in response.
“No worries, I’m sure you’ll catch on. Just don’t stab us. You’ll be fine,” he paused with a giggle. “I’m a bit rusty myself,” he admitted, gently nudging you. You appreciated his reassurance. He gifted you a bit of mercy when Blackbeard initially caught you all those years ago. You noted his genuine kindness in the back of your mind, a promise to repay him.
You hadn’t run into Blackbeard aboard the ship prior to this. You had difficulty analyzing his character. Despite your agnosy, you had no doubt he’d be reliable. Ivan and Fang endured perilous battles, and Jim could slaughter a crew themself, alone. Izzy, however? He knows his shit, sure, he can slice and dice. Kill a few foes, perhaps. He struggles to manage his anger, exposing him to his enemies. Blackbeard’s presence centers him. You learned this the hard way when you, whilst Blackbeard ran some errands, decided to screw around with Iz.
The five of you set off after Blackbeard, squeezing onto a dingy, to kindly greet your fellow sea-goers with a soft swipe of a sword. As you and your crewmates approached the vessel, the closeness granted you a clear view.
“I don’t think these fellas are any old pirates, mates,” you trembled. Izzy turned to you and rolled his eyes.
“And who do you reckon they are then, huh?” He mocked. You scolded under your breath, leaning closer to ensure those on board wouldn’t catch your words.
“This is Bonny’s boat, you moron.” You peered up the sides of the vessel, the sun pinning you down, like prey of the sky.
Crossing paths with Bonny traveling solo? By herself, you could take her on. Sure, she held an impenetrable resentment for you, but she wasn’t invincible. She and her crew introduced an entirely new complication.
Calico Jack Rackham.
Blackbeard’s potential ignorance of Rackham's presence tickled you. Teach’s general expertise of the sea was apparent, but he didn’t know everything. Only your faith in his master plan comforted you. In the unfortunate circumstance that Calico surprised Blackbeard, did that mean the plan would change? You envisaged it wouldn’t, but you despised altered plans (hence your spontaneous adventures).
Edward boarded the ship first. You had difficulty making out the mumbles from the ladder. The last of your crew, you heaved your body over the damp wooden rails, with a kind hand from Ivan. You thanked him.
“It appears some of your friends invited themselves along. What have you done with yourself, Blackbeard? The badass pirate I knew would never permit these leeches to feed off his fame.” Calico berated. Rackham, Bonny, Read, and the rest of their sailors stood armed, knights willing to die for their cause. You counted them internally, finding you and your friends outnumbered. The disparity alarmed you. They didn’t hold an extravagant advantage, but it counted for something.
“You best watch your words, Jack,” Israel bit, his voice struck with venom. His hand edged towards his sword. “He isn’t here to fuck around.” Calico coughed out a laugh.
“Aww, Izzy, so brave. Always ready to risk his life for his beloved Captain. You’re weak, Blackbeard!” Calico drew his sword and snarled, “Did you visit just to cower behind your pets, or are you going to fight me like a man?”
Blackbeard’s fury bubbled up, evident on his face. “Why don’t you shut your mouth before I sew your fucking lips together.” The strain in his voice marked that threat as a promise. The last time you saw the two together, they were pals. Clearly, you missed a chapter or two.
“Don’t his words get to you, Captain,” Ivan said to Blackbeard under his breath. “He’s just trying to rile you up.”
While Ivan’s attempts to comfort him were well appreciated, you and your crew sunk yourselves into this conflict deeper than an abandoned ship on the sea floor.
Jim seized their opportunity to strike, first to make a move, diving straight for Rackham. Violence erupted like a firework. Spurts of blood and the clangor of swords incessantly ignited amongst your allies and foes. Your first showdown with your crew. Why hold back? You drew your knives. Without a moment to spare, a new metal collided with yours.
“This new look of yours isn’t fooling anyone,” Bonny taunted, increasing the pressure against your blades. She grinned, “We all know that you’re no pirate,” she smiled, taking a swing. You countered with a dip and a gouge to her thigh.
“You’re as poor a fighter as you are a friend,” you coughed out, twisting to jump behind her. “I see you have yet to hone your skills in swordsmanship.” She swiftly adjusted and forced you into a defensive position.
“Oh, of course not, darling. I’ve been waiting for the day to find you again. But, how lucky,” an unknown opponent jabbed at your back. Your chest tightened. She could only grin. “You came to me!” Bonny raised her sword, bustling with glee.
“Ah, you’re still a backstabber.” You chuckled and braced for impact, eyes squeezed tight, but only a thump from the ground followed. You opened your eyes to see Izzy, raucous as ever. You hated the bloke, but you admired his competence.
“Come on twat, can’t have you dying yet.” Before you could thank him, another foe trailed after him, equipped to kill. You grabbed Izzy’s wrist and yanked him aside. “The fuck?” He hollered. You ignored him and thread a gash into the enemy’s chest.
You wasted no time redirecting your attention to the remains of Bonny’s crew, back to back with Izzy. The two of you danced a ballad of bloodshed. You took a few nasty hits, but Israel had you covered. He eliminated anyone who crossed his path, omitting pure concentration. Sure, Blackbeard was the Kraken, but Izzy was his own monster. His skill horrified you, but you couldn’t help but recognize his beauty.
(tags for chapter update! @izzysprettyhusband)