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mandiemon3 · 1 year ago

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The Best Revenge is Living Well- Chapter 34

Izzy huffed, giving Mo a disappointed look when they firmly pushed him down onto the mattress, breaking their kiss.

“What?” he asked gruffly, his eyes sweeping over their face. His eyebrows were pinched with concern, his makeup creasing, clearly worried that something was wrong.

Mo chuckled. “Nothing,” they placated, smiling down at him. “Just think you should clean up a bit before we go any further.” They held his chin between their thumb and forefinger, smiling softly at the quickening of his breathing as they examined the smudges of his lipstick. The moon had dipped low over the waves of the sea before they’d whispered in their lover’s ear that it was time to retire for the evening. Izzy had been happy to follow them as they held his hand, still humming the tune of his song with a smile on his face as they led him down into the ship towards their cabin, swinging their intertwined hands happily.

“As gorgeous as you look,” Mo continued, “and believe me, you’re quite the stunner-” Izzy ducked his head, trying his best to hide the faint pink that rose to his cheeks “-I’d like to see your naturally lovely face. Is that alright?”

Izzy smiled. It started small, barely a tug at the corner of his lips, before widening into his familiar toothy grin. He nodded, still grinning. “’Course it’s alright,” he said, chuckling fondly up at them. He glanced around the small room, his gaze searching for something. “Should have a rag around here somewhere. Don’t think we used the last clean one yet.”

Mo tsked, shaking their head scoldingly. “No way,” they said firmly. “I’m not letting you use a dirty old rag to clean your face, Israel. Certainly not after your performance tonight.” Izzy groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Never gonna let me live that down are you?” he drawled, his hands smoothing over their exposed thighs as they perched over him. The couple’s clothes had been quickly discarded as they made their way into their cabin. They’d taken the time to undress properly this time, folding their clothes and tucking them away for use the next day, save for Izzy’s brooch and the single rose it held, which were placed carefully on the desk next to their small bed, nestled in the floral bed of Mo’s crown woven of flowers.

Mo grinned, leaned down onto their forearm on their shared pillow, hovering only inches above him. “Never,” they promised, stealing a quick kiss before pushing themselves back up. They started to clamber off of their lover, but found themselves stopped when Izzy grabbed their hand, sitting up in bed to catch them in another kiss.

He gave them a cocky grin when they pulled apart, clearly very pleased with himself for flustering them so easily.

“You’re real trouble, you know that?” Mo teased, laughing even as they said it. Izzy laughed, and they doubled down. “Not only are you delaying what I think we would agree is the real fun of the night, but you’re making a mess in the process.” They gestured to their face, which was smeared with their partner’s white makeup and peppered with his vibrant lipstick.

Izzy only grinned more, smugly examining his work. “What if,” he said quietly, combing his hand through the hair at the base of their neck, “I like you like this?” Mo blushed, and he chuckled, pulling them closer and ducking his head to rest against their shoulder. He craned his neck, looking up at them with his soft dark eyes, twinkling mischievously as he smirked. “Maybe I want everyone to see you like this,” he continued, his voice gentle and soft. “Let them all know what we’ve been doing.” He lifted his head enough to kiss their neck, mumbling his words against their sensitive skin. “Let them see that you’re mine. That we’re each other’s.”

Mo cleared their throat, suddenly finding it hard to think. “Think they already know that,” they said after a moment, their voice wavering ever so slightly, distracted by the thrilling feel of his hot breath against their skin. They combed their fingers through Izzy’s hair, dragging their nails gently down his scalp. He leaned into it with a content hum, his eyes closed as he rested against them. “Everyone on this ship knows I’m yours, Iz. And they know you’re mine. And they certainly know exactly what we’ve been up to every time we’ve disappeared during the day.”

Izzy laughed, his face splitting into a wide grin. “Fair enough,” he conceded with a smirk, still chuckling. He gave them one last kiss on their forehead, his hand squeezing their thigh before he fell back onto the bed with a huff.

“Go on then,” he said, waving for them to carry on their way. “If you have to leave me, you better be quick, before I drag you back to bed.” Mo laughed, taking his hand in their own and pressing a kiss to his knuckles before clambering to their feet. They didn’t bother to put on their full outfit, choosing instead to slip on Izzy’s disregarded shirt, wrapping it around themselves before perching on the edge of the bed to pull on their boots.

Izzy’s eyes widened as he took in their outfit of choice, a smirk working its way onto his face as his cheeks darkened with blush. “That’s what you’re wearing?” he asked, his voice coming out thick and unsteady.

Mo grinned mischievously, glancing at their partner over their shoulder. “Why not?” they asked innocently. “Especially since you don’t mind the others knowing what we’re up to. Can’t think of a better way to get the point across without having an audience in here.” Izzy breathed out a small huff of a laugh, his eyes still wide as he watched them tuck their laces into their boots, wasting no time with tying them for such a short trip.

“You’re fucking wild,” he murmured, his dark brown eyes soft with fondness.

Mo grinned as they stood. “Like you’re not,” they retorted, giving his white powdered cheek a kiss before crossing the room. They paused as they reached the door, buttoning up Izzy’s shirt as they hovered. “I’ll be back in a flash,” they promised, flashing their partner a wink before pushing the door open.

Mo didn’t know whether to considered themselves lucky or to be disappointed as they made their way through the ship to the galley. All of the crew was in bed, it seemed, even if they weren’t sleeping. They could hear the faint shuffling of their friends as they moved about in different rooms below deck, but hadn’t crossed paths with anyone by the time they arrived at their destination. As obnoxious as the teasing they faced from their friends could be on occasion, Mo couldn’t ignore the thrill they felt at the idea of someone seeing them in Izzy’s shirt, hanging loose around their smaller frame in nothing else but their heavy boots. As enticing as it was to belong so publicly to their love, it made their heart beat even faster that Izzy wanted to be so public with their love. It wasn’t all too long ago that holding his hand in front of others would turn him a dark shade of pink, and now he was comfortable enough to let them wear his clothes, even before their crew, with no fear of judgment or backlash.

Mo had to push aside their thoughts as they entered the galley, finding their internal debate put to rest when they came face to face with two of their friends.

Lucius sat, perched on the counter, with Pete standing between his legs, his hands resting on his partner’s thighs. Neither man reacted as the door swung open, only moving from their comfortable position when Pete glanced over, his mouth already open to greet the newcomer. His brow furrowed, and his jaw dropped when he saw Mo standing in the doorway, seeming to struggle to understand what he was seeing.

Mo imagined they made quite a sight, Izzy’s oversized shirt wrapped around them, falling down to their thighs as they stood in nothing else but their smalls and boots, their face covered in their lover’s makeup. On any other ship, with any other group of people, they might have felt embarrassed. Thankfully, they weren’t on any other ship.

Lucius let out a slow whistle as he took the sight in, his eyes wide and his brows raised as he looked them over. Black Pete struggled to find words, settling after a moment on a choked “Wow.”

Mo only smirked. “Yeah, go ahead and take it in,” they joked, chuckling to themselves even as their cheeks stung with the rush of blood surely staining them a light pink. “C’mon boys, I know you have jokes. Out with it.” They grinned. “If you couldn’t tell by my outfit, this is supposed to be a quick trip. Just here for some water and rags, then back to the cabin. Gotta get Izzy cleaned of all that glitter before we can go to bed.” Lucius smirked, his eyes narrowed coyly. “’Go to bed,’” he repeated, his voice smug and knowing. “Yeah. Surely just for sleeping.” They grinned, nodding their head as they stepped around their amused friend and his fiancé, moving to collect their supplies. “Mhm. What else could I possibly mean?” they asked, their voice uplifted teasingly as they glanced over their shoulder at the man. Pete laughed, moving to lean back against the counter, his head resting on his partner’s shoulder. Lucius wrapped his arm around him, his hand rubbing up and down his arm absentmindedly.

The sight warmed Mo’s heart. How lucky they all were, to find each other in such a vast world. And luckier still to have such a large, albeit chaotic, family who would always be there to protect each other. Not everyone was so lucky, they knew. Even their own family, their first, blood-related family, hadn’t done as much to support them and encourage them to follow their dreams. It took a rich loon and the ragtag bunch he found along his way for them to finally feel comfortable as themselves, knowing they’d found their place in the world.

Mo went about their business, ladling water out of a large barrel to fill a large bowl.

“You know,” Lucius said from behind them, “I’m almost surprised we beat you and your man. With our matelotage and everything.” Mo hummed, not taking their eyes off their work, careful not to spill a drop of the life-preserving liquid so rare at sea. “And why’s that?” they asked.

Lucius breathed out a puff of air, almost a laugh. “Maybe because you two are practically married already,” he explained, as if the answer were obvious. “Maybe because I haven’t seen the two of you apart since we found the damn ship.” Mo hummed. “Well, you’re not always around,” they said levelly, setting their bowl on the counter as they moved to track down a clean towel. “If I remember correctly, you two missed just shy of a full day. Who’s to say that Izzy and I weren’t across the ship from each other that whole time? Maybe we had a big argument, and you guys just couldn’t hear us screaming at each other over all of your own…distracting sounds?” Pete laughed. “Yeah, I wouldn’t believe that,” he said plainly, grinning broadly. “I mean come on!” he continued, gesturing with the hand that wasn’t busy holding onto Lucius’. “You two never argue! It’s almost weird.”

Lucius grunted, his eyes narrowing as he frowned. “Don’t know about that , babe,” he said quietly, resting his head against his partner’s. Pete frowned. “That whole ‘when’s he going to talk to me’ thing could be considered a fight,” he pointed out gently.

Mo scoffed. “You do know I can hear you, right?” they asked dryly, pushing themselves up to stand, a clean rag in hand. They turned to face their friends, scolding them good naturedly. “Just because my back is turned to you doesn’t make my ears suddenly stop working.”

Pete ducked his head, smiling bashfully, but his fiancé seemed undeterred.

“I’m just saying,” Lucius said defensively, his hands held up as he shrugged. “You might be each other’s other half, or whatever it is you tied down people think,” he waved his dismissively, rolling his eyes in a way that made his friend smirk. “Doesn’t mean everything’s perfect all the time, with rainbows and hearts.”

Mo’s smirk remained. They shrugged halfheartedly, their shoulders limp as they moved. Lucius’ eyes narrowed at the gesture.

“Maybe not,” they agreed, their tone level as they crossed their arms over their chest. The fabric of Izzy’s shirt ruffled across their otherwise bare chest, the familiar worn-down fibers almost as comforting as the faint scent of their partner that still clung to the garment. “We’ve had our bits of rocky waters, and we’ll probably have loads more. But we’ll be fine, so long as we stick together.” Pete smiled, turning to his fiancé with a goofy grin on his face.

“Just like us, babe,” he proclaimed, giving Lucius a kiss on his cheek.

Lucius smiled, turning and giving Pete a quick kiss before wrapping his arms around him, pulling him closer to rest against him.

“Really though,” Lucius said softly, tiling his head as he looked at Mo, all indication of joking gone from his face. “Do you see the two of you tying the knot someday?”

Mo looked down at the deck, chewing on their lip as they thought of what to say. “I’d like that,” they said after a moment, their voice quiet and sincere. “I love Izzy. I don’t feel like I need that from him, but…yeah. Yeah, I’d like to have that with him, that security that he’d be okay, even if something happened to me.”

Pete snorted. “Doesn’t he already have more wealth than you?” he asked, his head tipped questioningly. Lucius smacked his shoulder lightly, giving him a warning look. “What?” he continued, his eyes moving rapidly between his fiancé and Mo. “I’m really asking! It’s not like I’m calling him old or anything! He just…had more time…to save and stuff.” Mo chuckled, one arm crossed over their chest and the other rubbing at their eye with their palm as they leaned back against the counter. “That’s fair,” they admitted. “Iz doesn’t need me, or my financial support. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to offer it though.” They paused, kicking their boot idly as they thought, scuffing the beaten up leather across the rough wood of the flooring.

“I’d just feel better,” they said, “knowing that he wouldn’t be on his own if something bad happened. Not that he’s on his own anymore,” they added, giving their friends an appreciative smile. Pete smiled, and Lucius nodded seriously. “He has you band of misfits to look out for him. To tease him, too,” they added, pushing themselves off the counters and picking up their gathered supplies.

“Speaking of which,” Mo said, carefully balancing their bowl of water as they crossed the room, “I better get back to him. His patience might have grown, but he’d still rather have me get back to him than stand here and gossip with you two lovebirds all night.” Lucius smirked. “Oh, I bet he’s waiting with bated breath,” he said knowingly. He flashed them a wink, pulling Pete closer as their friend pushed their way through the galley door.

Mo grinned. “Goodnight, you two. And congratulations. I wish you both the best, and Izzy does too, even if he hasn’t said it yet.”

Pete and Lucius exchanged a soft smile, leaning closer to each other before Pete turned back to Mo, waving at them to be on their way.

“Go on,” he insisted. “Go take care of Izzy. Don’t want him giving us extra chores or anything, some way to punish us for keeping you.” They grinned, nodding as they pushed through the door.

Izzy greeted them with a smile as they opened the door to their shared cabin, moving slowly, careful not to slosh the water out of their bowl. He sat up in bed, his detached leg leaning against the foot of their bed, the soft blanket they’d brought with them when they moved in with him draped across his lap.

“Sorry,” Mo apologized, frowning slightly as they began to set their supplies on the desk that doubled as their nightstand. “Ran into the fiancés in the galley, had to give them our best wishes before I could get everything.” Izzy hummed, wrapping his arms around their waist as they turned to face him. He pulled them closer, looking up at them with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“They have any thoughts on your outfit?” he asked, his voice low and gravely. It sent shivers down their spine, brushing his hair out of his face as it fell loose from his carefully crafted hairstyle. “I’d be disappointed if they didn’t,” he added, his dark eyes, still accented with mascara, wandering as he took in the sight of them.

Mo smiled softly. “’Course they had thoughts on it,” they responded, their heart thumping loudly at the smug smile he gave them. His hands strayed lower, toying with the hem of his billowy shirt where it rested on their thighs, his eyes twinkling playfully as he looked up at them. His lips were still tinged with red from his faded lipstick, and they couldn’t help but wonder how many more kisses it would take to wipe it off completely.

“About how lucky I am?” He said it sincerely, his voice quiet as he looked up at them, his dark brown eyes soft and calm.

They chuckled, leaning down to kiss him.

“Alright, you charmer,” they teased when they pulled back, gently holding his chin. “Let’s get this makeup off you so I can see your handsome face.” Izzy hummed, letting his grip on them loosen enough for them to turn, wetting their towel and kicking off their boots before turning back to him. They held Izzy’s chin in between their thumb and index finger, gently tipping his head back to direct him as they began to gently wipe away the powder coloring his face, starting on his cheeks.

“I’m very proud of you. You know that, right?” They watched as Izzy’s eyes flitted away, looking down at the floor as well as he could while they held his face still, cleaning him as gently as possible. He cleared his throat, a small smile flickering across his face.

“I know,” he said. His voice was quiet, low and sincere in a way that made Mo smile.

“Good.” The small tattoo under his eye came into view, reappearing from Wee John’s clever concealment. “You should be proud of yourself too,” they continued, their thumb brushing through the bristly hair of his beard, gently tipping his head to the side to better access his jaw. “It takes guts to do something like that, especially in front of people. Even if we aren’t the scariest bunch of pirates, it can still be scary to take a leap like that. So,” they said, tipping Izzy’s head back so he would meet their gaze, “I want you to know how brave you are. And that I’m even prouder to be with you today than I was yesterday.”

Izzy stayed silent, his soft eyes following them unwaveringly as they wiped away his makeup. They caught a glimpse of insecurity in his eyes, a flicker of doubt, well trained into the man after years of being disregarded and made to be strong.

“Is that…something you’ve wanted for a while?” Mo asked. They spoke softly, not wanting to frighten off their partner’s newfound vulnerability.

Izzy frowned, seeming to think it over as they worked. Finally, as they neared the end of their task, gently wiping away the shimmering golden powder that covered his eyelids, he spoke.

“It wasn’t ever an option.” He said it quietly, in a matter-of-fact tone that broke Mo’s heart. They frowned, wiping away the last traces of his glamorous look before setting their rag aside. They sat next to their partner, their thigh grazing his at the close proximity.

“What do you mean?” they asked, barely more than a whisper. “Like, as a pirate?” Izzy chewed on his lip, an ironic smile on his lips. “Yeah, but also…no.” Mo watched him, waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, they gently nudged his knee. He met their eye, and a world-weary weight seemed to hang over him, darkening his eyes and cutting the worried lines worn across his freshly cleaned face even deeper.

“As a pirate,” he explained slowly, nodding as if conceding, “but also…just as a man, I suppose.” He sighed softly, leaning forward and rubbing at his eyes with the palms of his hands. “In my day, you could get yourself killed looking like that. Let alone put on a whole fuckin’ show about it.” He grimaced, his eyes narrowing to small, angry slits as he spoke. “My own fuckin’ father would have swung at me for that. Not that he ever seemed to need much reason to do that anyway.”

Mo’s jaw tensed. Izzy had been beaten? They’d known his life at land had never been easy, but they had always thought, hoped maybe, that he had had at least a few good years with his family before he left for sea.

What more did they not know about him? How much tragedy had followed Israel Hands around, crushing his hopes time and time again? It was no wonder he had become so jaded over the years. Cynicism had been the only thing protecting him from even more heartache.

A fresh wave of sympathy washed over Mo as they looked over the man they loved, hunched over his lap, his breathing quickened as he scowled down at the deck. He didn’t deserve that. They didn’t know how to help him, but they reached out, placing a soothing hand on his bare shoulder and massaging his tense muscles.

“Oh please,” they said, gentler than their usual good-natured joking tone. “ Today is your day, my love, as much as it is anyone else’s.” Izzy grumbled, and they nudged his shoulder with their own. “You might not be twenty-something anymore,” they continued, “but you’re still young, and you’re still here. You’re not some relic, collecting dust on a shelf. Think last night alone proves that.” Izzy huffed out a short breath of air, almost a laugh as he glanced towards them, a small exasperated smile tugging at his lips. Mo took it as a sign of encouragement.

“You’re doing well, Iz,” they continued, speaking earnestly. “You’re growing, and healing, and generally kicking ass, and I’m so proud of you, my love. So please, don’t act like you’re some decrepit old man, just watching his life pass by. You can do what you want, and if anyone makes you feel like you can’t, we can take care of them, together. Alright?”

Izzy rolled his eyes, but took their hand in his own, resting their entwined fingers on his leg. He squeezed their hand lightly as he spoke.

“Didn’t mean it like that,” he insisted, his quiet voice low. “Just meant back when I was on land, with my father and siblings.” A small smirk slowly worked its way onto his face and he squeezed his partner’s hand again. “That was decades ago,” he explained, his familiar dry humor working its way into his drawl. “Which some might consider to be a pretty fuckin’ long time.” Mo tsked, shaking their head even as he smirked. “Those people are dumb then,” they said confidently. “Everyone knows it’s about how you spend the time, not the length itself.” Izzy scoffed, his head dropping forward as he huffed. “We haven’t known each other for an extraordinarily long time,” they continued, smiling at the reaction they got. “And yet I feel like my life only began when I met you.” Izzy eyes sparkled, as he lifted his head back up, a lazy smile on his face, crinkling the corners of his soft dark eyes.

“We might have years and years together,” they continued, their voice growing softer, their thumb stroking their lover’s cheek without thought, “but no matter how long we have, it still won’t be enough. Someday, the time will end, and it’ll have felt like only a moment, even though you’re my whole life.”

Izzy’s brow furrowed, his lips tugged down in a concerned frown. He brushed a lock of hair out of his partner’s face, his fingertips lingering against the soft skin of their cheek.

“Don’t think about that,” he urged gently, his voice hushed. He pulled them ever so closer, leaning forward and resting his head against their temple. “I’m not going anywhere. And you’re not going anywhere either, not while I have breath left in me.” Mo held onto his shoulders, his firm warm muscles a familiar feeling under their hands as he dipped his head, delicately kissing their cheek.

“We’ll be alright, darling,” he whispered. The warmth of his breath tickled their skin, his delicate tone, so gentle and doting, making their heart ache.

Israel Hands was a great pirate, the strongest man they’d ever met, but even he would fall prey to the traps of time. So would they, Mo knew. No matter what choices the pair made, their time together would come to an end at some point. It hurt Mo to think about, their eyes stinging and their chest aching at the idea of being away from him, of never seeing him again, even if their time hadn’t yet come. It was almost too much to bear, even as he held them in his arms, gently shushing them as he smoothed back their hair soothingly, peppering their forehead with sweet kisses.

Mo swallowed hard, doing their best to suppress the lump they found wedged in their throat. “You’re right,” they said thickly, cursing themselves for falling apart so easily. Izzy was safe. He was with them, where they could protect him. “Just…don’t do anything stupid, okay?” They expected Izzy to laugh at them, to remind them that they were the one with the habit of doing stupid things in the heat of the moment.

But seeing them like that, eyes teary and lips trembling, the old pirate couldn’t find the heart.

“I won’t do anything stupid,” he vowed, pressing his forehead against theirs. He held their gaze, never faltering even as their tears fell, cupping their cheek like they were made of glass, like they would shatter if he made the wrong move. Even if they were so fragile, they trusted him above anyone to care for them, to protect them the way he protected their vulnerable heart. “The crew is getting better with their skills,” he continued softly, wiping away the stray droplets of saltwater with his thumb. “Won’t have to step in as much when we fight anymore. I’ll let them handle things more on their own.” He gave them a small smile as they sniffled. “Leaves me more time for you anyway.”

Mo laughed weakly, wiping away the tears that had collected in their eyes.

“Oh, shut up.”

Izzy barked out a laugh, still cupping their cheek gently. “Ah, there you are,” he teased, his voice soft and quiet. “Missed you, love. Don’t you worry about me,” he said gently. “Not going anywhere.”

Mo sniffled. “’Course I’m gonna worry about you,” they muttered, holding Izzy’s hand where it pressed against their cheek and leaning into his touch, letting the warmth of his calloused fingers soothe them. “You’re gonna be my fucking husband, Israel. I’ll always be worried about you.”

Izzy gave them a small smile, pressing a sweet kiss to their lips before speaking.

“I am going to be your husband,” he said calmly, his voice level. “And I’d like to stay that way. Not going to make you a widow so young.” He frowned, his brow furrowing as he thought. “Widower? Widow?” His eyes moved between Mo’s, searching for a clue. “Which do you prefer?” Mo frowned, still feeling glum despite their lover’s attempts to comfort them. “I’d prefer neither,” they said honestly. “I’d prefer you just stay alive, not make me choose a word at all.” Izzy snorted, rolling his eyes. “Alright, smartass, have it your way,” he said sarcastically, wrapping an arm around their shoulder and pulling them closer to press against his chest. He kissed the top of their head, hugging them securely with a faint smile when they snaked their arms around his waist, drawing him even closer. “You won’t have to choose one, you have my word.”

Mo hummed, their cheek pressed against his warm chest.

“Fuckin’ better not,” they murmured. “I love you, Israel. And you know I’ll kick your ass if you break your promise.” Izzy chuckled, the sudden movement of his chest shaking his partner as he peered down at them.

“I know, love,” he promised. “I know. And I know better than to cross you.”

Mo’s fear began to fade away, each of their fiancé’s steady breaths bringing them back to the present, where he was safe and sound. Even as their anxieties subsided, they couldn’t shake their sorrow at how scared their love had been to share a part of himself with their crew, or the dark things he had shared from his past.

“I’m sorry you never felt safe.” Izzy hummed faintly, his hand smoothing up and down their back, gently smoothing over the fabric of his worn black shirt that they still wore.

“You deserved so much better,” Mo continued quietly. “You deserved to be safe and happy, with a loving family who supported you.” They scowled. “ Definitely deserved more than your shithead father.”

Izzy grunted his agreement. “Wasn’t all bad,” he said after a moment.

Mo lifted their head from his shoulder, meeting his eye as he continued.

“Had my sister, Camille. And Joseph, my brother, while he was around.”

Mo frowned. “What happened to him?” they asked quietly. They hoped they weren’t overstepping, not wanting to dredge up any unwanted memories. They’d put enough of a damper on the evening.

Izzy chuckled, his tone bitter. “Fuck if I know,” he said honestly. “Haven’t seen him since I was 11 years old.” He frowned, his dark eyes narrowed as he shook his head. “He left after our mother died. Couldn’t take being stuck with our father, with his drinking and swearing and hitting. Left one night after spouting something about making something of himself.” He sighed wearily. “Joseph always did have dreams of grandeur. Bit like Bonnet,” he admitted, meeting his fiancé’s gaze as they raised their eyebrows in surprise. “Wanted to live a lavish life,” he explained, his voice tinged with annoyance, “dreamed of going out on his own, making a fortune and living like a king. Wonder how all that that worked out for him.”

“And Camille?” Mo asked hesitantly, their fingers swirling through the hair on Izzy’s chest. “Where’s she?”

Izzy cleared his throat, gently guiding his partner off of him as he spoke. “Back in our hometown,” he answered. “Never left, not after everything that happened there. Now,” he said, giving them a stern look as they sat up fully beside them, “hand me that rag. Need to get you cleaned up too. Your pretty face is all fucked up with that powdery shit right now.” Mo laughed abruptly, his wording taking them by surprise. “Fucked up?” they repeated incredulously. “And here I was thinking you said something about liking how I looked with your makeup on me,” they teased, leaning closer to kiss the corner of his mouth. “Something about making it easy for everyone else to see how fully I belonged to you,” they mumbled against his stubbly cheek, feeling the soft graze of his facial hair against their lips.

Izzy chuckled, grinning as he held their shoulders, gently guiding them away enough to look them in the eye.

“I did,” he confirmed easily, his warm eyes twinkling fondly. “ But , the crew isn’t here, are they? It’s just us, love.” His thumb glided over the soft skin of their cheek, leaving a warm trail in its path. “And I know you’re mine, more than anyone out there ever will.” Mo felt their cheeks warm as they blushed, and Izzy’s smile widened.

“Now,” he said, “please hand me that rag. Want to see that blush fully, without all this gunk in the way.” They smiled bashfully, but did as they were asked, retrieving the damp bit of cloth and handing it to Izzy before sitting beside him, crossing their legs as he adjusted to face them more fully.

He held their face in one broad hand as he dabbed at their face with the rag in his other, carefully removing all traces of the makeup that stained their skin. It didn’t take as long as it had taken Mo to clean him, even with his slow, lingering movements, his soft brown eyes examining every small curve of their face, every divot and blemish. He paused as he wiped away the last bit of white powder, his thumb idly stroking their cheek as he looked at them. Mo smiled softly, holding the hand pressed against their cheek and leaning into it. They could feel the smooth metal of the ring they gave him, fitting to perfectly on his finger.

“Do I look less ridiculous now?” they asked softly, grinning when Izzy huffed a small laugh.

“Little bit,” he responded, just as quietly. “You’ll always look a bit silly.” Mo gasped, giving him an exaggerated look of offense, though they made no effort to remove their face from his hands.

“Not ‘cause of your face,” he continued, chuckling softly at their reaction. “But someone as small as you, goofin’ off with Frenchie or Lucius or any one of the other hooligans aboard,” Mo snorted, “well, you don’t exactly cut an intimidating frame, do you?”

Mo smirked, looking up at their partner through narrowed eyes. “You’ve never been on my bad side, Israel,” they pointed out. “I might not be as big as Wee John or Frenchie, but I think you’ve more than proven that you don’t need to be tall or burly to be deadly.”

Izzy grinned, his dark eyes twinkling as he cupped their cheek, drawing them nearer.

“You trying to flatter-” he began to ask, cut off as they leaned forward to capture him in a kiss. He didn’t seem to mind, his hand dipping into their hair to draw them closer, his words lost as he hummed contently.

The pair drew apart after a moment, each pausing to regard the other in a peaceful quiet, broken only by the sounds of the gentle waves and the creak of the ship as it sailed through the night. After a few seconds, Izzy turned, tossing the damp rag in his hand unceremoniously into the bowl of water sitting on their desk. Mo laughed as water splashed out of the vessel, ducking their head against Izzy’s shoulder to avoid the droplets of water sloshing towards them.

Izzy seemed unbothered by the contact, settling to lay back against their scraggly pillow before wrapping his arms around their waist, gently guiding them to join him. Mo was happy to obligue, wiggling until they were adjusted to a comfortable position beside their lover on the narrow bed. They rested their head on his shoulder, wrapping their arms around his muscular midsection with a happy sigh as he pressed a kiss to their forehead.

“You deserve all the praise, my love,” they said quietly. “More than I could ever give you.” They propped their chin up on his chest to meet his gaze. “Not that I’m not willing to try,” they added cheekily, giving their fiancé a sweet smile.

Izzy smiled. “I know, darling,” he said, his voice soft with affection. “You’ve been pretty clear on that.”

Mo’s fingers trailed along Izzy’s chest, tracing the curves of his hard muscles under the thin layer of cushioning coating his body.

“Is it okay if I ask what she was like?” they asked softly, almost absentmindedly as they toyed with his chest hair. “Your sister, I mean. If you don’t mind talking about her.”

Izzy frowned, his thumb trailing to a stop where it had been tracing across their upper arm, still bundled by his billowy black shirt. “Why do you wanna know?” They shrugged. “Just curious. Kind of want to know something about her, if that’s alright.” They frowned, sighing softly. “Guess I’d like to know my sister-in-law, even if she never knows me.” Izzy hummed, adjusting to lay down more before pulling them closer. He tucked a lock of hair behind their ear as they came face to face, looking at each other across the small distance of their shared pillow.

“She’d like you,” he said, his low voice coming out gravely and soft. A slow smile worked its way across his face, softening his expression and warming his eyes. “’Course she would. Hard not to love you.” Mo chuckled, grinning as they ducked their head, inching closer to rest against him. His warmth was a comforting presence, his breath tickling their scalp as it tousled their hair.

“She’s younger than me,” Izzy continued, his hand running up and down their arm. “Three years younger. Always been stubborn, fighting left and right if she thought something was wrong. Been that way since the day she was born, always giving Joseph and me hell, chasing after us and telling us everything we were doing wrong.” Mo grinned. “So that’s just a Hands family trait then?” they asked.

Izzy chuckled. “Maybe,” he admitted, smiling to himself. “Takes her time trusting people too, which I suppose you’d say we might have in common.” Mo nodded, grinning up at their partner, trying and failing to stifle a laugh.

“Oh, absolutely,” they said without hesitation. “Took months of knowing you before I could be sure you wouldn’t just stab me.” Izzy huffed. “Nothing wrong with being cautious,” he said defensively.

Mo smiled fondly. “I know, love,” they soothed, the warm pool of affection they felt for him spreading through their chest. “It’s not a judgment. And hey, you definitely came around to me eventually.” Izzy smirked. “Just took your sweet time getting there. But anyway, what you were saying about Camille.”

Izzy nodded, trailing his fingers through their hair when they cozied up to him.

“She’s not all that like me,” he said, almost insistently. “She was always scared of confrontation, would just…hide away when our parents would get into their screaming matches. Found her hiding under the bed one day,” he said, his fingertips gliding down Mo’s spine, “all bundled up with her clothes and the one ratty little doll Mum had made for her out of old scraps. Asked her what she was doing, and she said she was running away.” He sighed softly, his face turning somber as he remembered. “Couldn’t have been more than four or five.”

Mo sighed sadly, frowning as they listened. “What happened to you guys?” they asked softly. “After your mom died, how did you all get by?”

Izzy scoffed out a laugh. “We didn’t,” he said shortly, his tone dark. “Joseph and I had to step up, take control. God save us if we left it in our father’s hands.” He rolled his eyes, a disgruntled sound coming from the back of his throat. “’Course then Joseph left before too long. Couldn’t handle it without Mum there to reign in Dad’s drinking. Think he only lasted a year or two before he ran off.” Mo frowned. “So then it was all on you?” they asked gently. That was far too much responsibility to fall onto a child’s shoulders.

Izzy nodded. “Didn’t have much of a choice, did I? Couldn’t run off like Joseph, leave Camille to fend for herself. She wouldn’t have lasted a month that way.”

Mo pushed themselves up, resting on their elbows to face their fiance, their frown remaining. “You shouldn’t have had to do that,” they said quietly, searching their love’s face for discomfort, afraid of pushing him too far but even more of leaving their thoughts unsaid. “You shouldn’t have had to step up like that, to take care of Camille that way when you were just a kid yourself.” Izzy shrugged, meeting their gaze levelly. He sighed softly. “It is what it is,” he said gruffly. “Wouldn’t have chosen it, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.”

“True,” Mo admitted, somewhat reluctantly. “Doesn’t change the fact that it’s fucked up you had to do that.” Izzy snorted a laugh, a darkly humorous grin flashing across his face as he looked at his partner.

“You’ll hear no disagreement from me there,” he said.

Mo frowned, unable to drop the subject even when Izzy snaked his arms around them, pulling them back down to rest against his chest.

“So if you’re here,” they said slowly, “and Joseph is out there doing whatever the hell he’s doing, then what’s Camille doing? Does she have people to look out for her, or is she all alone back there?”

Izzy blew out a long breath of air. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking, his thickly calloused fingers tracing small circles on his partner’s back.

“Last I saw her,” he began, speaking slowly, “she’d found work as a seamstress. There was a farmer nearby, moved to our town after his wife had died. Bit of a prick, but seemed to treat her decently enough.” He frowned, his eyebrows pinching together as he fought to remember something. “Fuck, what was his name?” He scowled, his fingers idly tracing cirlces over the skin exposed by his partner’s draping neckline where it pulled down their back as he thought. “Philip,” he said after a moment, snapping his fingers as it came to him. “His name was Philip.” Mo chuckled, proping their chin up to rest on on Izzy’s shoulder, happy to just listen to him talk. “His clothes all wore out quick, and most of his family was gone, so he had been talking to Camille. Something about keeping her around so she could help mend his clothes, fix things up for him when they broke. Seem to remember he liked her cooking too, always complimented her the few times he visited the place she stayed with her friends, all older spinsters whose husbands had passed.”

Mo hummed, watching the way Izzy’s hair moved as they played with it, twirling the long soft locks between their fingers. The silver hairs stood out among the black, catching the candleglow so they shined like the reflection of the moon on the sea at night.

“Sounds like he might have had more reason to keep her around than just the mending and the cooking,” they observed.

Izzy frowned, his eyebrows pinched together in confusion. Mo couldn’t help but smile, their heart warming at the sight. “What do you mean?” he asked, his rough voice suspicious. Mo shrugged, still smiling faintly as their thumb ran over the creases in his face. He was so handsome.

“I just mean that him wanting to ‘keep her close’ and all that sounds like he wanted to keep her that way longer term.” Izzy’s frown remained, and they chuckled. “Izzy, my love, some people want to keep women around because they intend to court them,” Mo explained slowly, their voice uplifted with humor. “Now, I understand that that might be a foreign concept to you-”

Izzy took hold of their hand, still exploring the curves of his face, sighing softly as he rolled his eyes. “Oh, fuck off,” he grumbled. Mo grinned. They propped themselves up to lean on their arm beside him, moving even closer to their love. “Ooh, are you telling me I’m wrong, Israel?” they teased. “Have you been hiding something from me, some secret past as a womanizer?”

Izzy heaved a beleaguered sigh at their teasing tone. He still held their hand, toying with their fingers as he looked up at them as they hung above him, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips despite his best efforts.

“There’ve been no women,” he said lowly, putting on a show of his exasperation. “You’re the closest to a woman.” Mo chuckled. “Well, that depends on who you ask, doesn’t it?” they joked. “Sure, Ed is big and muscly, but I’ve never lived in a partner’s old robe, just moping and sobbing for a week.” They leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to their fiancé’s stubbly cheek. “Not that I wouldn’t if you left me,” they added as an afterthought, their fingers curling to hold onto his.

Izzy breathed out a short gust of air, a warm smile on his face. “No need for that,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “I’m not going anywhere. I did say yes, after all. Wouldn’t have done that if I was just gonna go and get cold feet.”

Mo grinned mischievously. “Cold foot,” they corrected gently, already leaning down to kiss him. Izzy scoffed, feigning an indignant look before allowing them their wish, gently cupping their cheek as they kissed.

“You amaze me,” Mo murmured as they pulled apart, laying back down beside their partner. Izzy shifted closer, laying his head gently on their chest, exhaling a small content sigh as they trailed their nails down his scalp. “How you were able to survive on your own so long, I’ll never understand.” Izzy grunted, a small indignant sound, but didn’t lift his head.

“Not that I doubt your abilities,” they clarified. “Just…that’s a lot for anyone to live through. Let alone as a kid, and taking care of another. You’re a proper badass, Iz.”

Izzy sighed, almost certainly rolling his eyes outside of their view.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” he protested, his low voice quiet. “Not like I did a remarkable job either. We were still separated, still came to a breaking point with Dad.” Mo hummed, frowning as they twirled a lock of greying hair between their fingers.

“Is it okay if I ask what happened?” they asked softly. “Did it all just wear you down over time, or was there something big?”

Izzy sighed softly. “Things just kept getting worse and worse, with the drinking and the beatings.” He paused, seeming to consider if he should say more. “One day he found a small bit of coins we’d socked away,” he continued quietly, his voice soft as he pinched the fabric of the blanket they laid on between his fingers idly. “Think we both feared for our lives that day. Bastard took it all, spent it at the only pub in town that would still serve him. Poor Camille cried her eyes out all night, somehow thought it was all her fault that he found it, that she’d doomed us both.” Mo scowled, the simmering anger in the pit of their stomach growing. How dare that deadbeat steal from a child, let alone two of his own? Izzy had been forced to be an adult far too early. It was no wonder he had such a hard time relinquishing control or taking even a few hours of rest, even when he needed it desperately. With the way he grew up, if he didn’t keep working, he and his loved ones wouldn’t have stood a chance.

“How’d you get away from him?” they asked. They hoped they did a convincing enough job hiding their anger. “I’m guessing he didn’t clean himself up, see the error of his ways.” Izzy laughed abruptly, his voice cold and his dark eyes narrowed as he scowled. “Nah. Self-improvement was never Dad’s style. He’d rather wallow, take everyone else down with him.” He took a deep breath, his hold around his partner’s waist tightening ever so slightly. Mo wondered if he even noticed. “He’s dead. After he found our stash and wasted it all, I knew Camille and I wouldn’t make it through the winter the way things were going. In summer, at least we could find some food around us, do odd work for the neighbors and earn a small bit to keep us alive. But in winter?” He shook his head, his scowl intensifying. “Not a chance. No one can hire the neighbor boy when they’re struggling to put enough food on the table for their own.” “He was getting worse,” Izzy continued. “Somehow got it in his head that we needed to work, not to be able to afford food, but to be able to afford booze .” He scoffed, his indignant anger building back up. “Tried to force me to give him whatever pitiful amount I was able to bring home. When that wasn’t enough, he threatened to get rid of Camille, to pawn her off to the highest buyer. She was only eleven, still couldn’t even stand up to him on her own. Didn’t see any other way out of it when he wouldn’t drop it.” Mo’s hand stilled in his hair, but Izzy seemed too caught up in his story to notice.

“Bastard even told her to pack her things and called some of the sick fucks he knew from the pub over to have a look at her. That was my little sister they were looking over,” he growled, his muscles tensing and his rage at the memory barely contained, “like she was just a bit of meat they could buy and use how they liked. So no, he couldn’t live. Not after all he’d done, driving our poor mother to her grave, driving off Joseph and then trying to sell his only daughter like she was nothing more than cattle.” His eyes were narrowed to slits, burning with anger even so many years later. “ Next time he hit me, Camille screamed, and he turned to swing at her. Managed to grab his old walking stick, a nice heavy wood, and hit him over the head hard enough to drop him. Then I just…kept hitting. Don’t know when I would have stopped if Camille didn’t grab me, drag me away.” Izzy’s eyes darkened, guilt flashing behind them for the first time during his story. “That poor kid. She was terrified, frantic and sobbing about what I’d done. I had to look out for her after that, had to keep her safe. I owed her that much at least.”

Mo frowned. “You don’t owe her anything, baby.” Izzy shook his head, his head lowered and his grip on them tight as he frowned.

“I scared her.” Mo sighed heavily. They trailed their nails down his scalp, gently massaging away some tension. “Your father scared her, Iz,” they insisted. “You protected her. From him and the other shit men in your town. Without you, she’d have stayed in danger, never knowing if she was safe or if she’d live long enough to see another meal.” Izzy scoffed. “Didn’t solve that,” he said darkly. “We went right back to starving. Killing the prick didn’t just magically fix all our problems.”

Mo nodded, humming in agreement. “I would be very surprised if it did,” they agreed, brushing some of their partner’s hair away from his face. “Doesn’t mean you didn’t make the right choice though.” Izzy stayed silent.

Mo swallowed thickly. “Do you…regret it?”

Izzy sighed quietly, stilling for a moment before pushing himself up to face his partner. “No,” he confessed, his gravely voice lowered to scarcely more than a whisper. “He was a bad man. Nothing would have ever changed that, I know. Doesn’t change that…I just…I-I wish things were different.” His gaze was lowered, fixed on one of the buttons of the shirt Mo wore, his eyebrows pinched together. He looked so tired, the trauma of his youth washing back over him and taking him back to the scared boy he had once been.

“I wish things had been different too,” Mo said softly, matching his hushed tone. “It’s not fair, that you had to go through all of that. You should have been taken care of, not made to take care of others.”

Izzy sniffled, his vulnerable eyes dark even as he shook his head. “Didn’t need all that,” he said gruffly. “Didn’t need to be babied. Just…” the words seem to get stuck in his throat. “Having a father would have been nice. Or my mum.” He sniffled again, his mustache twitching as he began to tear up. “All I wanted was a family. Not that Camille’s not,” he was quick to correct, looking guilty, “but, well...y’know. S’not the same, having to take care of her.”

Mo nodded solemnly. “You deserve that, Israel. You deserve a family, and not one where you have to do all the work.” Izzy breathed out a sudden laugh. “Well I have that now,” he said, smiling weakly. “Got you, and those twats.” He jerked his head towards the door. “And I don’t have to do all the work anymore.” He laughed when Mo rolled their eyes at his joking tone, still sniffling as he grinned. “S’alright now,” he said, more seriously, meeting their gaze easily. “Really, love, I’m alright. The past is the past. Just glad the present is better.”

Mo smiled as he leaned forward to kiss them, one hand holding his cheek while the other clung to his neck, keeping him close for as long as they could. When he pulled back, he settled back down next to them, plopping down on his back with a content sigh.

It didn’t take long for his eyes to wander to the oversized shirt they still wore, hanging loose around their smaller shoulders.

“As much as I like the sight of you in that,” Izzy said slyly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, “I’d much prefer you take it off now.”

Mo grinned. “Surely not because you don’t trust me with it,” they joked.

Izzy shurgged. “Not entirely,” he retorted, already moving to undo the buttons for them. He chuckled when Mo gave his chest a playful swat, and pushed himself up to give them a kiss on the cheek before sliding the worn fabric off their shoulders once the garment was loose.

Mo giggled as he wadded up the fabric, tossing it unceremoniously on the desk they shared before pulling them closer.

“Funny,” they said cheekily. “If you don’t even trust me with your shirt, I can’t imagine how you could trust me with things of a more…delicate state.”

Izzy huffed an exasperated sigh, but Mo could see the smile he tried to hide by ducking his head against their chest.

“You’re fuckin’ ridiculous,” he grumbled.

Mo laughed. “Careful, my love, we haven’t wed just yet.” They grinned. “‘Course, even if we had, there are still other things I could deny you.”

Izzy raised his head, his dark eyes narrowed to squint at them suspiciously. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Mo held his gaze unwavering, but felt themselves give in to a grin after a few moments, chuckling as a relieved look washed over Izzy’s face.

“Nah, Iz, I wouldn’t,” they admitted. “Don’t think I could hold out that long, not with you .”

Izzy smirked. “Good to know.” He made no attempt to hide his smug tone, looking very pleased with himself even as Mo chuckled, wondering if it was possible for them to fall even more in love with the man who owned their heart.

“Just shut up and kiss me, Israel,” they asked, still laughing at their beloved’s antics. Izzy grinned, happy to grant their wish as he pulled them closer.

The next morning was peaceful. No one knocked on the couple’s door or came searching for the first mate before the sun had time to rise, and yet the ship sailed on without issue. It was one of the first mornings they’d spent together when Izzy hadn’t felt pulled to the main deck, as though the crew would crash if he left them on their own for too long. Instead, he spent the morning wrapped in Mo’s arms, listening to their slow breaths as they slept and feeling their calming heartbeat where he pressed against them, his head resting on their chest and their arms tangled loosely around him.

Izzy made a choice that morning, to trust in his crew and stay with his partner, his secret fiancé. When they did stir, he made sure not to rush off, taking the time to indulge in their lazy kisses and sweet caresses, the only sounds coming from the soft crashing of the waves against the ship and the distant footfalls of their friends from above deck.

Only once the sun had fully risen did Izzy rise, chuckling as he disentangled himself from his partner’s limbs and teasing them for their halfhearted pouting.

“Come on now, darling,” he said as he tugged his pants into place. “We’ve had hours to ourselves. As much as I’d love to stay here with you and never get out of bed, there’s something I have to do.” Mo groaned where they laid beside him, rubbing at their eyes with their palms. “Israel, the ship can live without you for a few hours,” they complained. “And they know where to find you if something happens.”

Izzy chuckled. He had already moved onto securing his wooden leg.

“That’s not what I need to do,” he confessed. Mo frowned, slowly peeling their hands away to squint at him.”

“Need to see how Bonnet is doing,” he explained. He pushed himself up to stand with a muffled groan, picking up his shirt and sliding his arms into the sleeves before continuing. “Something makes me think that killing Lowe isn’t the only reason his ship might have gotten rocked last night.” Mo grinned, chuckling as they pulled the covers over them, cocooning themselves in the remnants of Izzy’s warmth.

“Ah, you think you’re funny, don’t do?” they teased.

Izzy grinned, tugging his shirt collar into place over the tie he slipped over his head before glancing their way. He adjusted the ring on his finger as he shrugged, the corners of his soft brown eyes crinkling in a way that warmed Mo’s heart.

“Thought you’d like that one,” he admitted, still grinning cockily. “Seemed bad enough to fit your tastes.” He stepped closer, moving carefully on his prosthetic before leaning down. He tilted their chin up gently, pressing a soft kiss to their forehead.

Mo grinned at the gesture. “I never said I didn’t like it,” they pointed out, their voice meek as they bundled themselves in their blanket. Izzy only hummed, smiling fondly down at them as they wiggled into a more comfortable position.

“You look like a bug,” he observed, busying himself with tucking his oversized shirt into his pants the way he always did. If not for the upturn at the corner of his mouth, the softness of his voice, they might have thought he was being mean.

Mo smiled. “And you look very handsome,” they retorted sweetly. Izzy scoffed. “Though I think you’d look better back in bed with me,” they continued, grinning as Izzy chuckled.

“Maybe,” he admitted. “It’d feel better.” He sighed quietly, slipping his worn leather vest on. “A first mate’s duty is never done,” he said wearily, starting to button up the familiar garment. “’Specially not on this ship.”

Mo hummed. “Still, if you really think something happened last night with the captains, at least you get a chance to have some fun with them.” They giggled, smiling brightly as they watched their partner tug on his singular leather glove. “You might want to refine that joke just a smidge though, if that’s what you’re going with.”

Izzy frowned as he fastened his glove into place, flexing his fingers until the garment fit comfortably. “You trying to tell me something?” he asked, glancing at them from the corners of his squinted eyes. “It can’t be that bad of a joke, it did make you laugh.”

They chuckled. “My love, I’m not exactly known for my good jokes,” they said delicately. “And you do have the advantage of me already being completely and totally in love with you.”

He grunted, too busy securing the ties at his elbow to keep his oversized shirt in place to respond. He smiled when Mo sat up in bed, beckoning him to come closer so they could help.

“Maybe it shouldn’t be a good joke,” he said quietly, watching as they expertly tied the small bits of fabric. Practice had made perfect, and they’d had plenty of opportunities to master the tension needed to secure his sleeves in place. “Could be my opportunity to really get back at them. Got twenty years of Edward making jokes at my expense, often at my lack of a personal life.” His voice was dry, clearly not fond of his captain’s pokes and prods. “Could be a good time to level the score.”

Mo breathed out a short laugh as they moved onto the second tie. “If that’s what you want to do, go for it, Iz. But ,” they continued, “I do feel like there’s a chance I’ll get blamed if your joke is bad enough.” They finished their work, holding onto Izzy’s solid thighs as he stood before them. “Not saying I would mind that,” they added, looking up at their partner with a soft smile, “but it wouldn’t be that much of a leap, knowing my track record with this sort of thing. ‘Course, how anyone would believe you’d listen to me about those things is beyond me.” Izzy frowned, the warm leather of his glove grazing their skin as he pushed their hair out of their face.

“I listen to you,” he protested, his voice soft and quiet.

Mo grinned. “You do,” they agreed. “But that doesn’t mean you’d let me talk you into doing a bad prank. Especially on the captains, and especially on Ed.”

A faint smile flickered across Izzy’s face. “Maybe, maybe not,” he said evenly. He dipped his head, pressing a soft kiss to their forehead.

“Sure you’ll find time to test that theory,” he said, stepping away to begin strapping his weapons into place, “But for now, I have business to attend to.” He glanced up as he tightened the belt that held his gun and holster. “You want any help getting ready, or would you rather wait here while I get us breakfast?”

Mo smiled. “Neither, Iz. You go on and mess with the captains. I’ll get us breakfast and meet you up there.” They grinned, watching fondly as Izzy finished securing the last of his weapons and combed his hair back into its usual hold. “I can trade you coffee for a retelling of how your joke went. Sound good?” Izzy set his comb back in the small wooden box that held his barber supplies. He stepped closer, holding their face in both of his hands and carefully tipping their head back to face him as he leaned down, kissing them softly and sweetly.

“Sounds perfect,” he agreed when he pulled back, an easy smile spreading across his handsome face.

#ofmd #izzy hands #izzy hands x oc #izzy hands x reader #ofmd izzy #original character #my writing

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