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The first time Izzy uses his safe word they’re all shocked by it.
It had been stupid, really. Stede had gotten curious about the ring he always fashioned around his neck, and was getting frustrated that no-one seemed to know the answer, and Izzy avoided giving it.
Even Ed didn’t know.
Stede was nothing but innocently curious, watching as yet again Izzy undressed to join them in bed for the night, slipping the ring off the fabric he fashioned around his neck and placing it delicately onto his ring finger.
Once Izzy was nestled between them, his favourite spot for the night, Stede had given Ed the covert nod that had Ed squishing Izzy pleasantly into the mattress, just how he liked it.
Izzy grunted. “What?”
“Got some questions for you. You don’t gotta answer them if you don’t want, but Stede and I are curious.”
Izzy looks confused but doesn’t protest, melts a little bit when Stede threads his fingers through his hair, petting him.
“What’s with the ring?”
Izzy tenses, stares at Ed like he’s confused, and then a slow realisation mixed with heart break spreads over his features. Before Stede can say anything, Izzy is jerking under Ed, a strained and terrified “Pavlova” being chanted.
Ed jerks back at the safe word, like they had practiced, and Stede nearly falls off the bed with how quickly he pulls back too.
Izzy is already diving from the covers like they’re burning him, and he’s still saying his safe word as he tumbles into the bathroom and locks the door.
“Ed?” Stede says, concerned.
“Fucking hell Stede, I don’t know.” Ed says back, sounding like a wounded animal. Which he probably was. Izzy wasn’t holding back his kicks in an attempt to get Ed off him, one of them probably collided with his bad knee.
The great thing about safe words was that it ended a scene quickly and allowed for reconciliation. The bad thing about them was that Stede had never been with a partner to use it before, outside of a scene.
He had no idea what to do now.
“Israel, darling. Please open the door.” Stede had his face pressed against the wood, one hand tight on the handle ready for when it would unlock.
Ed had gone to their weapons room, searching for something he could use to pry open the door with that wouldn’t damage it beyond repair.
There was a sob on the other side of the door and Stede desperately tried the handle again, making a noise of frustration when it didn’t budge.
“Israel please. Just let me in. We can lock Edward out if you don’t want to see him.” Which went against every rule they’d come up with in the bedroom. They talked it through as a trouple, that was their motto.
There was movement though, on the other side of the door, and Stede made a happy noise as it was unlocked, bullying his way inside the room. Izzy clearly didn’t want Ed in there because he slammed and locked the door behind Stede.
“Oh, my darling.” Stede said, taking in Izzy’s appearance. His face was splotchy with red patches from where he had been crying and rubbing at his skin, and he looked down right miserable. Stede cupped the man’s face in his hands, kissing over his cheeks to calm him.
“Now, why don’t you tell me why you’re so upset, Israel?”
Izzy was playing with the ring on his finger, making little noises that were cut off cries, trying to pull himself together. He always got like this when he showed vulnerability to his lovers.
“Take your time.” Stede encouraged, brushing back hair from Izzy’s face. Tender and soft.
“It’s Eds.”
Oh. Oh. That would make sense now, why Izzy was so attached to it. Why he looked so broken when Ed asked about it.
“Gave it to me. After our first raid. Cut it off someone’s hand and told me I should wear it. That every time he saw it he would remember how good we were together.”
“Israel.” Stedes thumbs were rubbing over his cheeks now, brushing away the fresh tears.
Only Ed could say something so meaningful and completely forget about it. All the while Izzy held on to that ring like a lifeline.
“Stede? I got one of those butcher knifes from Roach-“
“-Not now you absolute prick.” Stede snapped back at Ed from behind the locked door, making Izzy sob and laugh in surprise at the same time.
“Uh. Everything ok in there?”
Stede looked at Izzy, the man’s hands covering his own, keeping them pressed against his face. He nudged his forehead against Izzy’s, just watching him. “Everything will be fine.” Stede settled on.
Izzy nodded, knowing that was directed at him. Stede would make it fine.
Stede took Izzy’s hand in his now, and pressed a kiss over the ring he still wore. Took one of the plainer rings from his own hand and slipped it onto Izzy’s finger to join the other.
Izzy made a confused sound that Stede kissed away.
“I’ll never forget my promise to you, Israel.” He whispered against Izzy’s lips. “I’ll love you until my last breath. Beyond that.”
“Stede…”
“Why don’t we shut Ed out of the room for the night, hmm? We can explain it to him in the morning and see if we want to forgive him. Maybe make him swab the deck.”
Izzy laughed, and Stede swallowed the delightful sound in a kiss.
They did make Ed swab the deck, and the crew were even more curious as to why Izzy had two rings around his neck now, instead of just the one.
It was a secret that Stede and Izzy shared, hands brushing together as Ed grumbled and bitched in the hot sun.