Chapter Text
It had all become real when the looks started.
They were secret, little glances that Izzy wasn’t meant to notice, but once he started to look for them he found them everywhere.
Ed glancing at him over the dinner table with a warm smile hidden behind his beard. Stede watching him from across the deck of the ship with a grin.
Those looks that up until recently Izzy had only seen shared between Stede and Ed were suddenly directed at him.
It was lovely, and if Izzy found himself watching his two men just a little more often, that suited him just fine.
***
After the looks came the touches.
Stede had never been one for being overly physical in front of the crew, not even with Ed, so when Izzy had told and joke and Stede had wrapped his arm over his shoulders and left it there, it drew some curious looks.
At first, Izzy had assumed it was a one-time thing, a lapse in judgement, but soon it was happening all the time.
A hand on his lower back, a squeeze to his shoulder, constant touches in front of the crew that felt like a firm declaration of mine.
Ed had always been physical, he liked to touch people to connect with them. The touches changed, though. Where it had been casual touches before it was more intimate now. Ed would hold his hand as they stood by the wheel of the ship, he would fix Izzy’s hair in the wind, he’d kiss Izzy’s temple if he walked by.
Izzy soon had the confidence to start with touches of his own. Things like placing his hand on Stede’s lower back when they walked together, tugging Ed’s hair gently when he was being silly.
It was strange for the crew, but it fit them just fine.
***
It was three months into their little relationship being rebuilt that Stede declared he wanted Izzy to get rid of his room.
“You sleep with us every night anyway,” Stede argued, “why do you need a bed that you never use?”
“I like to have my own space,” Izzy explained, “just in case I need it.”
“Well, I certainly won’t take it from you. That being said, you haven’t slept in there for near enough two months.”
Izzy thought back and found that he was right, he didn’t sleep there anymore. It was just an escape if things went wrong again.
“A compromise,” Izzy suggested, “I’ll move my things in here, sleep in here, but I have first right of refusal if I want to sleep in that bed.”
“Deal,” Stede beamed at him and Ed chuckled from nearby at Izzy’s easy agreement, “would you like help to move your things?”
“I have one bag,” Izzy rolled his eyes, “I’ll bring it after dinner.”
“I’ll make space in the closet.”
Ed laughed at that, “he owns like three shirts, Stede. What do you think he’s going to put in a closet?”
“Uh, his bag?”
“Whatever makes you happy, love.”
Izzy did move in that night, and the other bed was quickly forgotten.
***
Izzy liked to surprise Stede while he was working.
Something about the longer golden hair and the starting of a beard mixed with his glasses made for a very pretty picture.
Stede would always greet him with a smile, looking over the golden frames as Izzy joined him, and Izzy would happily sit nearby and watch Stede work.
It had only been a few months, but Izzy could now read the names of everyone on the crew, and with his ability to write numbers he could, with very few tasks, help Stede keep notes in the books.
Today though, he had something else in mind.
Getting into the room was easy enough, and Stede grinned at him as he sat on the edge of the table.
“Hello, love. Did you need something?”
“Only to watch you work,” Izzy looked over the books and found more words than he understood, “journalling?”
“I am,” Stede nodded, “just keeping notes on the ships we’ve encountered so far.”
“Don’t let me stop you,” Izzy pulled the chair back from the desk just slightly and crawled underneath it before he pulled the chair in again.
“Izzy?”
“Mmhmm?” Izzy started on the ties of Stede’s pants and looked up at him.
“Are you…”
“I will be, yes.”
“Do you want me to stop?” Stede gestured at the desk.
“Absolutely fuckin’ not,” Izzy managed to undo Stede’s pants and push his smalls out of the way, “you keep working.”
“You’re certain?”
The only way to answer was to swallow Stede’s twitching cock in one go, looking up at him with a wink as he gasped.
“It’s the glasses, isn’t it?” Stede asked breathlessly.
Izzy hummed and then got to work to prove that yes, it was the glasses.
***
Stede was easy to share casual intimacy with. Something about the man welcomed it.
Moving in with him had proven to be a challenge, if only because the rest of the crew would randomly show up and sit on the couch or start talking to him like they were friends.
Alright, if Izzy was honest Oluwande was a nice enough man, and he was very good at giving advice. Jim was impressive too, if not a little terrifying.
Lucius was quite clever, and he didn’t mind reading books out loud if Izzy asked him to, and Pete never gave the three of them weird looks if they sat together.
The Swede could sing like an angel, and Frenchie was surprisingly resourceful. Wee John was a giant, and it was nice to see him rest his bad back on a couch that fit him. Roach made the best lemon curd in the world, and at one of the ports Izzy packaged a jar and with some help from Lucius, managed to ship it to Alma.
If Izzy had to admit it, they had a decent crew in the end.
***
“Izzy, you have a letter.”
“No I fuckin’ don’t,” Izzy didn’t even bother to open his eyes from where he was reclined on the bed with Ed.
“You do,” Stede insisted, “I picked it up in port.”
“Who would send me a letter?” Izzy asked, “the only people who love me are right here.”
“Alma.”
“Oh,” Izzy opened his eyes and sat up, “she did?”
“She did,” Stede smiled, “would you like to hear what it says?”
“Go on then.”
Stede opened the letter and smiled, “Izzy, thank you for the jar of lemon curd. It was better than what we get here. Lemons are back in season in Barbados, and when you and dad can get here, you should visit with Ed. Love, Alma.”
“I adore that girl,” Izzy held out his hand for the letter and paused when he found the entire thing had been written in pictures.
A small jar with a ribbon on it like it had won an award, half a dozen trees with lemons on them, a picture of a pirate ship and the small figures of Stede, Ed and him walking across the port.
“About time for a trip to see the children don’t you think, Stede?”
Stede gave a small nod, “I think that could be arranged.”
“Plus side,” Ed called out, “with the beard and the long hair you don’t even look like you anymore, Stede. We could probably pass you off as a trader now.”
***
It turned out they could.
It was much easier getting Stede to the family estate this time, and while they still took the carriage they didn’t need all the windows blocked out as they made their way to the Bonnet estate.
Alma came flying out the front door like a bullet, bypassing Stede altogether as she leapt into Izzy’s arms.
“Izzy!”
“Hello, darling,” Izzy held her tightly, “I got your letter.”
“You came to visit!”
“I did, are you well?”
“I’m good! Did you see that the lemons are in season?”
“I did, will you show me them?”
“Yes!”
“Hello, Izzy,” Mary spoke from the door, “here to win the hearts of my children I see.”
“I’ve already won the heart of your husband,” Izzy joked easily, “you better keep an eye on Doug.”
“It’s good to see you,” Mary kissed his cheek, “come in.”
“Who are we, right? I’m just fuckin’ Blackbeard, and Stede is just the Gentleman Pirate. Who needs us when you have Izzy Hands?”
“Do you like lemon curd?” Alma asked Ed pointedly.
“No.”
“So I like Izzy better.”
Izzy stuck out his tongue and happily followed Alma inside.
***
It quickly became a tradition for them to visit the Bonnet family. It wasn’t frequent, as they didn’t want to put Mary at risk, but it was often enough that the three of them had a designated bedroom in the house for when they arrived.
It took a while for Alma to warm up to Ed, but when she finally did, it was worth watching Ed’s surprised expression.
They had been out for a long day of riding, and Ed had picked some flowers off of a nearby bush to try and win her over.
It had worked, too, because when they were sitting together after dinner and speaking with Mary, Alma had decided to sit between Ed and Izzy.
Eventually, the exhaustion of the day had won out, and Alma had fallen asleep, leaning firmly against Ed’s shoulder.
Ed sat like a stone, looking at Izzy with surprise.
Izzy grinned and helped Alma stretch out across the couch so her head was pillowed in Ed’s lap while her legs were stretched across Izzy’s.
Ed barely breathed until Mary laughed and said, “she’s not poisonous, Ed.”
It was in the middle of a conversation between Stede and Mary that Izzy noticed Ed brushing Alma’s hair from her face.
“She’s not so bad,” Ed muttered when he noticed Izzy watching.
“Glad you feel that way, considering you’re her step-dad.”
The strangled, “what?!” that fell from Ed’s mouth had been worth waking up Alma.
***
It was a year into their relationship when Stede suggested matching rings.
“I have no idea how I can marry you both,” Stede said simply, “and I refuse to marry only one of you.”
“Traditionally, a ship’s captain marries their crew.”
“I know, but I love you equally, and we should have something that is just ours.”
“So matching rings?” Ed looked at his hands, “I could use another ring.”
“Does this mean you intend to make things permanent?” Izzy asked, “I’m not taking your last name.”
“Nor should you,” Stede laughed, “but you should be my husband.”
Husband.
He hadn’t been one of those in ages, decades even.
Stede must have noticed Izzy’s eyes moving to the picture of Anna across the room, a blown-up portrait that Lucius had done at Stede’s request.
They closed ranks on him quickly, Ed on one side, Stede on the other.
“We could use a different word,” Ed offered, “husband is so…traditional. Maybe something more pirate?”
“No,” Izzy shook his head, “I think I’d like to be your husband.”
“Yeah?” Ed asked hopefully, “mine, too?”
“Yours too.”
“Right, so, rings?” Stede suggested, “something pretty just for us?”
“Like what?” Izzy asked, “something small?”
Stede and Ed rolled their eyes.
“Fine, but nothing tacky.”
***
Despite Stede’s eagerness, they had settled on something classic.
The thick gold band had three stones set in it, a ruby for Ed’s robe, an sapphire for Stede’s love of the sea, and an emerald, as a small reminder of Anna.
Izzy would have been happy to leave it at that, but when Lucius noticed the matching bands he immediately insisted that they have a proper wedding.
It had taken him only minutes to recruit the entire crew to the project.
Stede had agreed, on the condition that Ed and Izzy said it was alright. It had taken only half a day for Ed to agree, assuming Izzy said yes.
Izzy managed to hold out for three long days before the crew approached him together over dinner.
“Come on, Izzy, please,” Lucius was pleading, “we haven’t had anything that fun in ages.”
“Could be good for morale,” Oluwande seconded, “we could have the Swede sing.”
“I like to sing,” the Swede perked up, only half listening.
“Why does this matter to you lot anyway?”
“We’re family,” Fang offered, “celebrating love is what families do.”
“Please, Iz?” Lucius reached for him, a hand on his forearm that had the entire room pause.
This wasn’t something that was allowed. Izzy didn’t do casual touch with anyone but Ed and Stede. This was crossing a boundary of something that was only shared with friends and loved ones.
But then, maybe he was friends with Stede’s crew now. They were nicer, and Izzy didn’t yell as much.
He sighed, “listen, only something small, alright? I don’t want some big fuss.”
The crew erupted in cheers, and as Wee John started talking about custom suits, Izzy wondered what the hell he had gotten himself into.
***
To the crew's credit, it had been a lovely day.
Oluwande married them in the end, giving a heartfelt ceremony talking about found family and the importance of communication. Pete had cried, sobbing into Lucius’ shoulder as they watched.
At the end of the ceremony, Stede had made an announcement saying that Izzy had been promoted, and they were now all captains.
Roach had cooked all day, and the food had been amazing. Frenchie pulled out his guitar and he sang for most of the night while Ed and Stede danced with everyone.
With some provocation, Izzy had eventually agreed to dance with Lucius, much to the amusement of the crowd.
When they retired for the evening they had made love with slow and gentle touches, Ed, Stede, and Izzy falling apart together just before they curled up in blissful afterglow.
“A ship with three captains,” Ed chuckled, “what sort of stupid idea is that?”
“Our stupid idea, love,” Stede reminded.
“Oh right,” Ed chuckled as he kissed Izzy’s temple.
“Captain Hands,” Izzy said softly, “I like the sound of that.”
“Well, it’s not as cool as Blackbeard and the Gentleman Pirate, but I guess it’ll do.”
Yes, Izzy thought, it’ll do nicely.